The Hunter's Common
by UThnkUrFunny IThnkImAdorable
Summary: Very AU. Dean is a brutish Hunter that lives separate from normal humans. But when he saves a young boy Sam from vampires, he'll find his view on the world start to drastically change. Hurt!Limp!Sam. Protective!Badass!Dean. They're not related. No winces
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**Okay, so I've been gone for a while now... And here I am with a brand new story! I know, I know, how stupid of me. Especially when I have so many unfinished stories right now...**

**So here's the sitch. I've been REALLY busy with senior year type stuff (homework, extra curricular, college apps, etc) College stuff is actually starting to settle down and I'm finding myself with more time. But because I've been gone for so long, I've lost my fanfiction writing skills. So this story is to help me get on track.**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. It will be a relatively short fic. Probably around 6 chapters. 10 at the MOST. As soon as I'm done with this fic, I'll go back to working on my others.**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14  
**

**Now, without any further ado, enjoy the first chapter! (hopefully ;P)  
**

* * *

This is a world where the populace is very much aware of the supernatural dangers that lie quietly in the dark. However, most are ill-equipped to handle them. That is why there are the Hunters; a class of humans whose main objective is to protect humanity against the supernatural creatures that hunt them. They live separately from the rest of world, as they are viewed to be rugged, dangerous, and uncivilized; a necessary evil.

"You hired a _Hunter?_" Sheriff Jacob spat.

"Yes, I hired a Hunter," Mayor Cunningham said stiffly. "What else did you expect me to do?"

"_Anything_ else!" Jacob started pacing the office. "You know what Hunters are..." He scoffed. "They're just an uncivilized lot using arcane means to do what _my_ men are perfectly capable of handling!"

"Four people have died in the last _month_, Jake. _Four_." Cunningham shook his head and sighed. "I've heard everything you have about Hunters. I know all the rumors." He clenched his teeth in anger. "But I will be _damned_ if I let anyone else get killed."

Jacob glared at the mayor. He was just as angry as Cunningham was, but for an entirely different reason. "This is a slap to the face to me and my men. You realize that, right?"

Cunningham clenched his fists. He didn't want to have to do this. He really didn't. He didn't want to anger Jacob and his men. He didn't want to have to hire a Hunter. Hell, he had as much distaste for them as Jacob. And Cunningham was pretty sure most of the town felt the same.

But four people were dead. No, not just _dead_. Left on the streets with their necks ripped open and their bodies drained of blood. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on.

Vampires.

As much Cunningham relied on Jacob and the force, he knew this was simply beyond them. It wasn't anything personal. Hunters trained their whole lives to handle these things. This was why they _have_ Hunters. To get rid of supernatural creatures like vampires. Besides, Cunningham didn't want to be held responsible if Jacob or one of his men got killed while hunting them. No. He's going to rest all of that responsibility on the Hunter. What else were they good for anyway?

"He'll be here by tomorrow," Cunningham said with finality in his voice. "Hopefully, he'll finish the job quickly and be out of here before most the town notices. As much as we need a Hunter, I don't want it publicized." Cunningham closed his eyes and sighed, swiveling his chair away from Jacob, dismissing him. "In the meantime... you and your men will cooperate with him."

Jacob gave a sarcastic laugh. "Cooperate with _him?_ They're only sending one guy? Jesus... They really think one guy can take these things out?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Well, hell. If the rumors are true..."

Jacob exited the mayor's office, closing the door behind him. He gave another sarcastic laugh as he walked down the hall. "God... a _Hunter_. We're letting a _Hunter_ into the town..."

Cunningham turned back towards his desk as the office door closed. "You and your men better behave yourselves," he mumbled. "If the rumors are true, I'm sure you all will regret it if you piss this Hunter off."

* * *

Dean had the impala parked just outside of town. He was early, so there was no need for him to rush into town.

He leaned back, enjoying his bacon cheeseburger. God knows once he gets into town no restaurant is going to want to serve him, let alone any of the burger joints. Better enjoy the greasy goodness while he can.

He thought about the job as he chewed. He had done some recon on the town the night before. Seems like the vampires had integrated into the town, acting like the other Commons; until they started snacking on them. The integration will make Dean's job a little more difficult, but nothing he couldn't handle.

Being raised as a Hunter, Dean had a few skills up his sleeves. The foremost being, his ability to sense supernatural energies. All Hunters have this ability. One of the traits that sets them apart from the Commons. But even amongst Hunters, Dean's sense was particularly sharp. While most Hunters can sense the approximate location of supernatural creatures, Dean can pinpoint a more exact location of the entities and can differentiate them.

In short, Dean can tell how many creatures there are, and _what _they are well before entering the town. Any other hunter wouldn't have been able to sense how many entities there were. Just that _something_ supernatural was going on in there.

In this case, Dean could sense seven different vampires. And they were _definitely_ vampires. Vampire energies were actually similar to a human's. But there's definitely a animalistic _tinge_ to them.

He finished the last of his burger, throwing the tin foil into the back seat and starting the impala. "Well, better get this over with."

* * *

A woman's scream tore through the town's streets.

"Oh for god's sake, lady!" Dean snapped as he wiped the blood of his face.

He had just taken the head off the first vampire. Unfortunately, they were in the very center of town, in view of dozens of spectators.

People started gathering around the spectacle. More people started to scream. More specifically, they were screaming at _him_.

"You bastard! You killed Nathan!"

"What kind of horrible monster are you?"

"Are you psycho or something?"

Dean rolled his eyes, ignoring the Commons' barbs. He had a job to do and no time to explain. The good thing about the gathering crowd was that the other vampires were also coming closer in order to blend in.

Dean looked around, trying to sense the other six vamps. They were here, alright. He just had to pinpoint them so he didn't accidentally kill a Common.

"Someone get the police!" a woman screamed. "We have to stop him before - !"

Dean took her head with a single swing. "Nice try, bloodsucker."

Sheriff Jacob ran up to the scene, having heard the commotion three streets away. _Is it another victim?_ he thought. _That Hunter is supposed to be here by now! What the hell is he doing?_ He pulled out his gun as he shoved his way through the crowd. "Out of the way!"

When he got to the front, he froze at the sight of six decapitated bodies. And standing there in the middle of them, covered in blood, was a tall man wielding a bloodied machete. Blood dripped off his leather jacket and soaked his jeans. He was breathing a little heavily, but didn't look worn out at all.

Jacob stood there in shock, not quite able to process the scene in front of him. But when he looked closer at the back of the bloodied man's neck, he could just make out a cross framed by a pentagram.

The mark of a Hunter.

That snapped Jacob back into reality. "So you're the Hunter," he spat. "Have you gone mad! These were good people!"

The Hunter turned toward him with a glare, his emerald eyes flashing unnaturally in the light. Jacob's eyes widened a little as he stepped back. _My god... this guy can't be human..._

"Check their mouths." The Hunter turned away, his eyes scanning the crowd. "They'll have an extra set of teeth in their gums."

Jacob's lip curled in disgust. "What did you say?"

Dean didn't even hear the man. _Six vamps... I know I felt seven last night. So where's the last one?_

Upon hearing that he was a Hunter, the Commons finally shut up. They were now just staring fearfully at him, inching away if he stepped towards them.

_The last one must be masking himself somehow..._ Dean looked closely at each person there, trying to sense that slight animalistic energy. _He's still here... I would have been able to sense him if he had run away..._

Dean slowly turned, carefully observing each of the Commons. An middle aged Caucasian woman with too much make-up... a group of mixed teenagers wearing clothes too big for them... An Asian business man with his tie loosened and his comb-over a mess... a young African man with his arms around a young boy...

Dean smirked. _That's it!_

The Commons screamed as Dean leaped forward and swung his machete at the man with the child. The last vamp's head rolled off, blood spraying as the body fell with a thud.

Dean laughed. "You really think shielding yourself with a Common child was going to keep you hidden from me? Ha!" Dean's expression darkened, his eyes shining. "Think again."

* * *

It was a few hours later. It took the mayor and the police some time to get the town's people to calm down enough to go home, take care of the bodies and clean up the blood. In that time, Dean managed to find a place to wash up and change clothes.

"We owe you a great deal of gratitude," Mayor Cunningham said. He handed the Hunter an envelope. "I only hope this is enough."

Dean rolled his eyes and snatched the envelope out of the man's hands. "As long as it's the agreed upon amount." He opened the envelop and looked inside. After fingering the bills for a moment, he grunted in satisfaction. "Also, I wouldn't mind if I could stay the night in that motel on the other street. It's getting late and I don't wanna have to find another one elsewhere."

Cunningham shivered. The rumors were true. There was something _not human_ about this man that shot fear through his heart. The last thing he wanted to do was piss a man like this off. "Of course, of course! After what you've done for us, it's the least we can do!"

Dean nodded, taking note of the fear in Cunningham's voice. _Every town... they're all the same_.

He suddenly felt a tug on the back of his jacket. He spun around quickly, knocking the person back onto the ground.

Dean frowned. It was the boy that the vamp had been using the hide behind earlier. "The hell...?"

The boy was shaking as he stood back on his feet. He looked uncertainly at Dean's face as he stepped toward him. He looked to be about 13 or 14 years old. He had floppy brown hair and blue-green eyes. And he was covered in blood.

Dean frowned in confusion as the boy grabbed his jacket and gently leaned against him. "Who's kid is this?" he asked desperately.

Cunningham just gaped for a moment, staring at the bloodied boy. "Uhh... he doesn't belong to anyone in the town. He must have come with in town with the vampires."

Dean looked back down at the shaking boy leaning against him, feeling a little sympathetic for the boy. _Which means he was probably those vampires' plaything for god knows how long._ He scoffed and shoved the boy away. The boy let out a small gasp as he lost balance and fell again.

"Look, you don't owe me any sort of gratitude," Dean growled. "I was just doing my job."

The boy got back up on shaky legs. He looked up uncertainly again and slowly stumbled towards Dean.

Dean rolled his eyes. "For god's sake...!" He grabbed the boy by the arm, ignoring his whimper, and handed the boy to Cunningham. "Make sure this kid gets a home, will ya? After what he's been through, last thing he needs is to be with me."

Cunningham silently agreed with the last part. "We'll take care of the boy."

The boy looked at Dean with sad eyes, reaching out for his jacket again.

Getting a little annoyed, Dean deflected the boy's hand. "Listen, kid. You're a lot better off staying as far away from me as possible."

The boy's eyes started to shine with tears as he brought his hand back reluctantly.

Seeing no other reasons to stay, Dean grabbed his duffel and headed toward the motel. "And, Cunningham? Don't worry. I'll be outta your town's hair by morning."

Cunningham nodded weakly. As soon as the Hunter disappeared around the corner, he looked down at the boy at his side, who was now sniffling. _Great. Now what?_

_

* * *

_

Sheriff Jacob stood as the mayor walked into his office, dragging a bloodied kid with him. "What the hell...?"

Cunningham shoved the boy forward, completely ignoring him as he fell on the hard floor with a loud thud. "Get rid of him."

Jacob looked at Cunningham disbelievingly. "What...? Why? Who is this kid?"

"He came with the vampires. No idea why the Hunter didn't finish him off. We have no idea what he is. For all we know, he might be one of them. Just rid of him. I want him out of my town by morning."

Jacob stood and looked at the kid. He just sat there on the floor, holding himself and shaking badly. "He was with the vampires?"

"Yes!" Cunningham replied angrily. "Now will you just get rid of him!" Cunningham walked out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

Jacob sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. _I just want this whole thing to be over with..._ Getting out from behind his desk, he grabbed the boy's arm and hauled him to his feet. He dragged the boy out of his office, ignoring the kid's whimpering and trembling. "Sorry, kid. But we just can't take any chances."

* * *

**So what'd you guys think? Review and let me know! **

**Remember, this is going to be a shortish fic, so I'll be back to working on my other works relatively soon :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's based off the manga Claymore. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. I hope this will be a relatively short fic. We'll see how it unfolds**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Thank you guys so much for the support so far! The first chapter was a bigger hit than I anticipated!  
**

**Enjoy chapter two!  
**

* * *

Dean parked the impala in front of the motel. He turned off the ignition, then leaned back against the seat and sighed. Even though the mayor said he could stay here for the night, he wasn't going to count on it.

Being what he is, Dean was used to Commons being paranoid and fearful of him. It was not at all unusual for Commons to refuse him services and lodgings. Not that Dean really minded. He knew how to take care of himself. He _certainly_ knew how to survive without a roof over his head. But it was nice to sleep in a building once and a while.

He grabbed his duffel and got out of the car. Tossing the duffel over his shoulder, he walked toward the the motel. "Let's see how this pans out..."

The receptionist looked up with a smile as the door opened. "Hi! Welcome to - " Her smile disappeared the instant Dean walked in. "It's..." She visibly gulped. "It's you..."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yes. I'm assuming you saw me earlier?"

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Her eyes were wide as she stared at his unnaturally bright eyes. "I... uh... we... I mean - "

Dean slammed his hand on her desk, breaking her out of her stammering loop. "Can I just get a room?"

Her gaze focused on her hands, which were now shaking. "Um..." Her eyes flickered unseeingly to her computer screen. "I-I'm sorry... but... um..."

Dean sighed. "Yeah, whatever." He really should have known better. "I'll just be leaving."

"Oh..." she said. "O-okay..."

She sounded relieved. And that just annoyed Dean even more. "Yeah," he mumbled as he left the building. "Whatever."

Dean mentally rolled his eyes as he walked back to the impala. _Well, that was a bust. As usual._ He threw the duffel back into his car and got in. Dean wasn't too put off. On the way in, he had seen a spot that looked suitable for a night's stay. It was far away enough from the town that he wouldn't attract attention, but it wasn't too far to be a bother to get to.

"Alright, baby," he muttered to the impala. "Time to get out of this godforsaken town."

* * *

_Will you just get rid of him!_

Get rid of him. They wanted him dead. At least, that's what it sounded like.

Sam tried not to think too hard about it as the sheriff dragged him to the edge of town. He was currently numb to the whole situation. After living with Kal and his buddies for god knows how long, he had trained himself to go emotionally blank instead of feeling fear like he used to. It only worked about half the time, but when it did work, it was worth the effort. Being fearful just elated Kal and the others. It egged them on. Yeah... it was much, much better for Sam to be just a doll.

He winced and gasped as the sheriff's grip tightened on his arm. Even if his mind was numb, it didn't stop his body from shaking badly.

When they got to the edge of town, Jacob shoved the boy towards one of the old abandoned barns. This might get messy, and Jacob didn't want to have to clean up afterward.

He shoved the kid inside and shut the door behind them. When he let go of his grip, the kid fell to the ground, still shaking as if he had just been thrown into an ice box.

That kid... it was quite a sight to behold. He was in his early teens, only about five feet tall or so. But even for his age, he was too skinny. His shoulders stuck out unnaturally and his hands were much too thin. His clothes were ripped and bloody. Jacob could tell that only some of the blood stains were from today.

The kid's hair was knotted and fuzzy from lack of care. It was longish, falling onto the kid's shoulders. Now there were also mats of bloody hair hanging down on the sides of his face.

The boy looked up at him with large eyes peering through the long hair. He was still shaking and was now slowly starting to crawl backwards away from Jacob.

Jacob sighed. _We can't take the risk._ He took out his pistol and aimed it at the boy's head.

Sam's breath caught in his throat as the sheriff pulled out a gun. This was it. It was the end of the line for him. No words of comfort or solace of any kind for him. Just a cold bullet to the brain and nothing else.

He closed his eyes and tried to get his body to still. If he was going out, he wanted to appear fearless for the bullet. He wanted to have at least some of his pride in tact in the end. But try as he might, he couldn't still his body.

_God..._ Sam thought hopelessly. _So much for pride. Please let this end... where the hell is that bullet...?_

Jacob's hands shook as he pointed his pistol at the kid. This didn't feel right. He didn't know why, but this just did not _feel right!_

Maybe it was because he was so childlike? Or maybe because he felt sorry for the poor bastard?

_Or maybe it's because there's a chance that he's just an innocent kid... I mean, there's no proof that he's dangerous. But what if he is?_

Jacob swallowed the hard lump that had lodged itself in his throat. His reason battled with his ethical conscious. He couldn't make a decision. If he was wrong in either regard, he could regret this for the rest of his life.

Finally, he sighed and lowered his gun. He couldn't do it. He couldn't shoot him. "Goddammit..." he growled as he put his pistol away.

Sam gasped and opened his eyes in surprise as the sheriff grabbed his arm and started dragging him out of the derelict barn. He looked up at the sheriff with confusion in his eyes. _Why didn't he shoot?_

Jacob dragged the boy further out of town until they reached the road that entered the forest. Frustrated with the situation and himself, he let go of the boy and kicked him in the back, sending the boy skidding across the asphalt. "Get outta here, you piece of trash! And don't you dare come back." Wanting to prove his point, he kicked the boy a couple more times, spit on him, then turned around to return to town.

Sam didn't move as the sheriff walked away. His body was still trembling badly against the asphalt, small rocks digging themselves into his fresh scrapes. He clamped his eyes shut as the pain from the sheriff's steel-toed boot started to make itself known. He hastily wiped the spit off the side of his face and wiped it off on the ground, feeling even more disgusting than before. Tears of both relief and fear leaked out of his closed eyes, falling on the ground with a soft _plat, plat _as he instinctively curled in on himself.

Now what was he supposed to do? Here he was, on the side of the road, nothing but a used up piece of trash, with no family or friends who would want or be able to take him in. Sam knew that after all these years he was dependent on Kal and his buddies. It may have been bad at times, but they kept him alive. Gave him a place to stay. Now even _they_ were gone.

He opened his eyes and started to sit up. He looked toward the town he had just been literally kicked out of. Certainly no one _there_ was going to help him. And why should they? He had been shacking up with _vampires_. How much better was he than any other supernatural entity?

Sam hissed as he accidentally pulled a fresh bruise on his back. He looked down at his bare arms. They were covered in red scrapes from when he skidded across the asphalt. Small rocks and sand stuck to them with the blood acting as glue. He tenderly wiped his arms to get the rocks and sand out, hissing when he wiped the scrapes too roughly.

Placing his hands back on the ground, he carefully start to scoot himself to the side of the road. It was getting dark and he didn't want to get run over by any absentminded drivers.

When he got the edge of the road, he bit his lip to hold back a scream as he moved his legs over. He was sweating profusely from the effort and pain, and was trembling even harder now.

His ankle felt like it was on fire. Every time he moved it or touched it, it became inflamed with pain. He must have twisted it when the sheriff kicked him into the road.

_Great_, Sam thought_. Not only do I have no where to go, I can't even _go_ anywhere_. Frustrated and tired, he laid down on his side and tried to get his body to relax. He felt like his whole body was burning in pain. He couldn't bother himself enough to move. Better to rest now, get a breather, than try to move later when the pain settles down. Hopefully, no one and nothing will bother him as he sleeps curled up on the side of the road.

And just like clockwork, a low rumbling echoed on the asphalt, trembling against Sam's face.

Sam opened his eyes and moaned. He desperately hoped that they, whoever _they_ were, would just ignore him and keep driving.

His hopes were quickly dashed when the screeching of brakes echoed in the night air. Sam clenched his eyes shut and curled tighter into himself. _Please go away, please go away, please go away..._

He heard a car door open and the stomping of boots on the asphalt as someone got out of the car. Fear clenched at Sam's chest, causing an involuntary whimper to escape. He clawed desperately at his sides, trying to get himself to curl up into a tight enough ball to disappear. _Please go away, please go away..._

He felt a presence right behind him as the sound of booted footsteps stopped. Sam's body trembled and he hyperventilated through his nose as he started to panic. _Goaway, goaway, goaway..._

A large, calloused hand gripped his shoulder, and Sam's eyes flew open. He let out a fearful cry and lurched his body away from the hand. He tried to get up and get away, but his injured ankle twisted underneath him. A spike of pain shot up his leg and sent him falling into a pile of dead leaves and twigs.

Sam started to sob in panic. He can't run. He's just going to have to stay there and take it. He trembled where he laid, his body stiff in expectation of a hard blow.

But no blow came. Instead, the hand was back on his shoulder. This time Sam didn't move away. He didn't know what was going to happen, but it was out of his hands now.

The hand was joined by another and Sam was gently flipped onto his back. He squinted as he was suddenly facing the car's headlights. The man whom the hands belonged to was silhouetted by the harsh light. It took a few seconds, but after blinking a few times, Sam's eyes adjusted to the light.

"Jesus... Are you the kid I gave to the mayor?"

It was the Hunter.

* * *

**So what'd you guys think? Review and let me know! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's based off the manga Claymore. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. I hope this will be a relatively short fic. We'll see how it unfolds**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**This was a really difficult chapter to write... Comment to let me know what you think. I've got a pretty good idea as far as the story as a whole, so I hope you enjoy :D**

**(I apologize for any grammatical errors)  
**

**Enjoy chapter three!  
**

* * *

_Time to get out of this friggin' town,_ Dean thought to himself as he drove toward the town's edge. _Hate vampires..._

Vampires were hunted nearly into extinction about a decade ago. In fact, until a few years ago, most hunters thought they _were_ extinct. But then Daniel Elkins, a prolific vampire hunter, was murdered by a pack of surviving vamps. They now exist as packs of anywhere between five and twenty vampires, roaming the country, trying to survive.

A year ago, Dean's father finally allowed him to hunt on his own. He had only been on three solo hunts, but the Association believed he was ready to handle a vampire hunt.

Even now, Dean believed that vampires were the hardest creature to hunt. That first hunt rocked the foundations of Dean's world. To watch himself kill these creatures that look so much like humans bothered him more than he'd like to admit. With their only distortions being the set of teeth that descended when they fed...

This may have been only his second vampire hunt, but that first hunt was enough to give Dean the instincts and ability to sense them clearly. This hunt had been easier than most only because of his previous experience.

He was about the enter the woods at the edge of town when he saw a something on the edge of the road. It looked like a body.

"What the...?" Dean slowed the impala.

Normally, Dean would have just driven right by, completely ignoring whoever this Common was. But... this Common was covered in dry blood... a sinking sensation formed in Dean's stomach.

Bringing the impala to a stop, Dean stepped out, looking at the body with suspicion. _Something's not right here... This isn't just some homeless Common._ He approached the Common slowly, not wanting to startle whoever it was. As he got closer, the Common curled in on himself and whimpered. Dean could hear his breathing and heart rate increasing.

He knelt down behind the Common and stretched out his hand. He paused for a moment. _What am I doing? He's just a Common... What do I care what state he's in?_

But he could practically feel the waves of sheer fear rolling off the Common. Unexpectedly, Dean felt _sorry_ for this person. Somehow, Dean felt that just turning around and driving away would be a little too... heartless.

So he placed his hand on the Common's shoulder, murmuring a small "Hey."

The Common jerked away from his hand, crying out in fear. Dean jumped back, startled by the Common's reaction. The Common's heart rate soared, echoing in Dean's ears. He quickly tried to stand, but he cried out in pain, and crumpled to the ground. The Common didn't move from where he lay. He just sobbed and trembled in fear. No... not fear. _Terror_.

Dean's chest physically hurt from the emotions and adrenaline he sensed. Of course, he was used to sensing fear from victims of supernatural entities. But usually he just shut those feelings out, focusing on getting rid of whatever entity was there. Now, not only were there no other entities to focus on, but he just couldn't seem to force himself to block the Common out.

Dean approached him again, purposely making noise to let the Common know he was there. He placed his hand on the Common's shoulder again, relieved when the Common didn't freak out. He gently flipped the Common over, ignoring his small whimpers, to get a better look at who this was.

He recognized him immediately.

"Jesus... Are you the kid I gave to the mayor?"

The kid looked at him blankly with wide eyes. He blinked a few times before recognition formed across his face. His jaw dropped open in surprise.

Dean blew out a long breath. "Jesus Christ..." _What the hell happened? I gave this kid to the mayor... why is he out here?_

The Common child looked a little out of it. He just stared at Dean in surprise, his eyes sweeping over Dean's body as if he wasn't sure what he was seeing was real.

Sam couldn't believe his eyes. It was the Hunter. What were the chance that out of all the people this could have been, it was the Hunter? Sam blinked a few more times, eyes darting everywhere to make sure he wasn't mistaken. Then he saw the slight unnatural gleam in the man's eyes. It was _definitely_ the Hunter.

Sam sobbed in relief. He was safe now. He was _safe_.

Dean was at a loss. Now what was he supposed to do? He couldn't just _leave_ the Common kid here. But he couldn't exactly take the kid _with _him either. He was brought out of his musings when the kid let out another sob. Dean sighed heavily. "Are you okay...? W-wait! What are you...?"

Dean leaned backwards in surprise as the kid leaned forward and rested his forehead on Dean's leg. He stared wide-eyed at the kid. _Okay... **now**_ _what am I supposed to do?_ Dean closed his eyes in frustration. He should have just kept driving. "Um... You..? Are you... okay?"

The Common sobbed again, this time nodding his head as well. Dean could feel warm tears starting to soak into his jeans. The kid's head trembled against Dean's leg as he continued to cry.

Despite himself, Dean felt something tugging at his chest. He couldn't just _leave_ the kid here. Not in the condition he's in. If he did, the kid would probably be dead within twenty-four hours.

Dean pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed. He was going to regret this. "Alright, kid. You're coming with me."

* * *

Sam sat on the passenger seat of the impala, legs hanging out the door. He felt... awkward. Even though he felt safe, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to act. And the last thing he wanted to do was make the Hunter angry.

The impala was parked near a small clearing near a stream. The Hunter told him to stay put as he went to go start a fire. Sam watched the process with fascination. Vampires didn't seem to care what the temperature was, so there was never a need to create any heat; even when they weren't staying in buildings.

Sam had vague memories of his father making a fire, similar to how Dean was making one, but a lot less successful. His father was never very good with outdoorsy types of things.

Sam shook his head, pushing the memories back. Last thing he needed to do was think about the past.

Dean stood once he got the fire going. He found enough wood to last at least a few hours. Dean figured they were going to need at last that long to get settled in.

Dean turned back to his car and saw the Common child watching him. He was an unusual child, that was for sure. Usually a Common's instinct was to fear and avoid Hunters. This Common seemed almost relieved to be around Dean.

The Common noticed Dean looking at him and quickly looked down at his lap. He looked a little embarrassed.

Dean sighed and walked toward the impala. _Well, might as well take care of him now_.

Sam looked up at the Hunter as he walked towards him. He wrung his hands in his lap. He hoped he didn't make the Hunter mad.

"You're obviously injured," the Hunter said, kneeling down in front of him. "Let's get you washed up. Then I can look you over and take care of any injuries you've got. 'Kay?"

Sam nodded, relieved that the Hunter didn't seem angry. His ankle wasn't hurting nearly as much now, so he carefully stood up and started to limp toward the creek. He still couldn't put too much pressure on his ankle, but at least he could walk now.

Dean grabbed a couple washcloth and a bar of soap from the trunk, carefully watching the Common silently stumble towards the creek. He realized he hasn't heard a single word out of the boy. Of course, having had been with vampires, the Common was probably traumatized.

Dean joined the Common at the stream, handing him a washcloth. "Strip down to your underwear. I'll help you clean best I can."

The Common nodded and slowly started to take his clothes off. Dean couldn't help but notice him wincing in pain as he did so.

Dean stripped down to his underwear as well, not wanting to get his clothes wet. He stepped into the stream, unfazed by the cold water. "C'mon. It's cold, but you'll get used to it."

As the Common slowly stepped into the stream, it occurred to Dean that he had no idea what to call this kid. Not know if he'd get a response, Dean said, "By the way... My name's Dean. Dean Winchester. What's your name?"

Sam smiled, despite his chattering teeth. (The water was really_ cold._) Dean... he liked it. It was a cool sounding name.

Then Sam registered the question Dean asked. A sudden feeling of shame washed over him. After all this time with Kal and the others, Sam was used to not speaking. He was used to being punished for speaking. While he was pretty sure Dean wouldn't _punish_ him, he couldn't seem to make himself say anything.

When he didn't get a response, Dean gave a nonchalant shrug. "That's okay." He soaped up the washcloth he was holding before handing the bar of soap to the Common. "Wash off the blood from your face and arms. I'll get your back and work on your hair."

The Common nodded and did as instructed. While he was doing that, Dean took this as an opportunity to not only clean the boy up, but to assess him for damage. He kept a steady line of dialogue going as he started to clean the kid. "You know, I'm going to have to call you _something_. I can't just call you 'kid' or 'Common'. You need a proper name."

As Dean wiped off the blood and grime, he started to notice just how _skinny_ the kid was. His ribs and hip bones jutted out sharply as Dean cleaned. This kid was clearly underfed.

He also started to notice the scars and still-healing wounds. As expected, there were bites littered all over the Common's shoulders and back. Some of them were scarred over, others were relatively fresh and bled anew as Dean cleaned.

"How about I give you a name? I suggest a few, then you can nod or shake your head to let me know which one you like. Sound good?"

The Common paused in his cleaning for a moment, then nodded his head in agreement.

"Alright, then. How about... James?"

It wasn't just bites. There were also large scars that were probably from untreated lacerations. And what was even more disturbing, was the half-healed patches all over the Common's body. It looked as though someone had _skinned_ sections of the kid's body.

The Common shook his head to James.

"Alright... what about Lars?"

The Common stopped cleaning and turned his head around to give Dean a look.

"Okay, okay. So I _might _have been naming off members of Metallica. Sue me."

The Common smiled, the resumed cleaning himself.

What disturbed Dean most, however, was the unresponsiveness of the Common when Dean was cleaning out the healing wounds. He hissed and flinched a few times, but nothing more than that. It was like the Common was hardened to the pain.

Dean started on the Common's hair, pulling out the clumps of blood. He noticed the kid started to do the same with the hair in front of his face.

"How about John? Straight forward, average name."

The Common quickly shook his head, obviously _not_ liking the name.

Dean laughed. "Yeah, I don't blame ya. 'Sides, last thing I want to do is associate you with my father."

As Dean continued to clean out the kid's hair, he noticed another patch of scarred skin underneath the hair on the back of the kid's neck. It had also been skinned at some point. And not very neatly. Thankfully it was fully healed so Dean wouldn't need to clean it and cause the boy any more pain.

"How about Samuel? That was my grandfather's name. He's dead now, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind you borrowing his name."

Dean had to stop cleaning out the Common's hair when the boy turned his head around to look at Dean with wide eyes.

Dean quirked up an eyebrow. "Really? You like it? I was thinking it was kinda old for you. I think Sammy would fit you better. What d'ya think? Do you like Sammy?"

The Common just stared at Dean for a moment, before smiling and nodding his head.

Dean smiled, honestly pleased with himself. "Alright. Sammy it is. Now let's finish cleaning your hair so I can treat these wounds of yours."

* * *

Sam was still in just his boxers, but with his proximity to the fire, they were quickly drying, and Sam wasn't so cold anymore.

Sam forced his breathing to remain even as Dean cleaned the wounds everywhere else on his body with peroxide. He tried to remain mostly stoic, but he couldn't help the occasional flinch or hiss of pain.

There were only a few fresh wounds that freely bled, but Dean seemed more worried about the half-healed ones. He made doubly sure to clean those out well, which usually meant opening the wounds again. It wasn't fun, but Sam assumed Dean was doing what was best.

_Sammy_. Sam couldn't believe how close Dean got to guessing his name. _I mean, seriously. What are the chances that Dean's **grandfather** would have the same name as me?_ But Sam was glad. It would have been weird to have been called by a different name.

Sam stared into the fire, thoughts wandering. He couldn't believe Dean actually took him in like this. He could have left him on the side of the road like most others would have done. But no. He brought Sam along for the ride and was even taking _care_ of him.

He closed his eyes and sighed. It wasn't going to last though. Sam knew that much. Dean was a Hunter. He can't just take a Common around as he's killing entities. Sooner or later, Sam was going to get in the way. And in Dean's line of work, it could get him killed.

But Sam wasn't going to think about that now. For now, he'll enjoy just being with Dean; safe and secure.

Dean felt his stomach twisting as he treated Sammy's wounds. He really shouldn't be surprised. It's not like those vampires kept Sam around as a guest. Still, seeing the ways that they've brutalized this kid brought unwanted images into his mind.

Judging from some of the scars, Dean guessed that Sammy had been with the vampires for at least five years. Maybe more. It's no wonder the kid doesn't want to talk.

Then there were the bruises. The very _fresh_ bruises. Some of them were even still forming. These hadn't been inflicted by the vampires. The townspeople did this damage.

Dean should have figured it out earlier when he found Sammy on the side of the road. Sometimes, the victims of supernatural encounters will be ostracized by others, usually out of fear. It didn't really make sense to Dean, but he knew it happened sometimes. And with the shape that Sammy was in, it was probably very easy for the townspeople to automatically demonize him and to want to get rid of him.

"You're all patched up, Sammy." Dean quickly got up and ran back to the impala, putting the bandages away and grabbing some clothes. "Your clothes are pretty much burn-worthy at this point. You're skinny, but you're not that much shorter than me, so these should fit."

Sam caught the clothes as Dean tossed them to him. He quickly put them on and sighed. It was nice to have clothes that weren't so thin and scratchy.

Dean couldn't help but smile when Sammy snuggled contently in his new, too-big clothes. "Here. You can use this sweater as a pillow. Try and get some sleep. I know the ground is not the best of beds but at least you're by the fire. Not to mention we'll be leaving pretty early tomorrow morning."

Nodding, Sam laid down on his side, bunching up the sweater and placing it under his head. After the emotional roller coaster that's been this day, it didn't take long for Sam to fall into deep sleep.

Dean stayed up to watch the fire. He also watched Sammy sleep. Out of all the thoughts running through his head, he refused to acknowledge the ones about what he was going to do with Sammy in the long run. That was a problem for tomorrow.

* * *

**So what'd you guys think? Review and let me know! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Okay, so I've planned out most of this story... and yeah... it's going to be longer than 10 chapters probably. But I'm having a great time writing it, so I'm not too put out :D  
**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Enjoy chapter four!  
**

* * *

A low humming and the periodic vibrating against Dean's thigh dragged him out of his sleep. Moaning, he groggily grabbed his cell and flipped it open. "'Ello...?"

There was a grunt of surprise on the other end. "You're not awake yet? You can't tell me the hunt took _that_ much out of you?"

Dean growled in annoyance. He sat up and stretched, his back popping in multiple places. He looked over at Sammy for a moment, pleased to see he was still asleep. _Good. Poor bastard probably needs it_. He looked at his watch and saw it was only a little after five o'clock in the morning. Yeah... Dean was usually awake by now. Rolling his eyes at himself, he mumbled, "What d'ya want, Dad?"

His father grunted again. "I assume you got the job done?"

"Yeah, I got 'em all. It wasn't at all like the last hunt. These vamps were sloppy. Or just plain stupid."

John grunted his approval. "So there weren't any problems?"

Dean glanced over at Sammy again. _Should I tell him...? It's not like I know what to do with the kid._

"Dean?"

"Uhh... yeah, there weren't any problems. Quick job, in and out."

There was a moment of silence on the other end. "Alright, son. I just wanted to make sure. I know after your last vampire hunt - "

"I'm _fine_," Dean growled. "Like I said, this hunt was _nothing_ like that one."

John sighed. "Alright. Have you contacted the Association?"

"I called them right after I finished the hunt. I'm still waiting for my new assignment."

"You probably won't have to wait long. Supernatural activity seems to be up. They've even got Bobby out on the field."

Dean frowned. Bobby was an excellent Hunter, but after the death of his wife, he became primarily a researcher for when Hunters were on a confounding case. He was damn good at what he did, too. If the Association's put him on active duty, that means their low on Hunters, which didn't happen often.

"What about you?" Dean asked. "Has the Association put _you _on active duty yet?"

"No, no... they're not _that_ desperate yet. We're pretty sure it's just a bubble. You know, supernatural activity goes up for a few months or so than goes back down to normal..."

Dean let out a sigh, nodding in agreement. He hated it these 'bubbles'. It meant less downtime and more rushing from town to town.

And on top of that, he now had a Common to take care of.

"I'll talk to you later, Dad," Dean said looking over at Sammy again. The kid was probably going to be hungry when he woke up. "I'll let you know when I'm heading towards my next assignment."

* * *

When Sam started to wake, he furrowed his brow in confusion. A few things were off. One, he wasn't _cold_. In fact, he was wearing clothes and he was warm and comfortable. Two, he wasn't_ hanging_. Why didn't Kal strip, hogtie, and suspend him like he usually did? Kal even said he did it to make sure he wouldn't escape. And to give him and his buddies easier access when they wanted a quick snack during the night.

He rubbed his eyes open, trying to figure out where he was and why. He didn't move too much, not wanting to anger Kal or the others, where ever they were.

It was still pretty early in the morning, the sun hadn't come out yet. Still, he could clearly see the nearby stream and trees.

The woods? They were in the woods? Sam shivered and unconsciously burrowed himself deeper into his clothes. If they weren't near any regular people, that meant that Kal and the others didn't have to be as careful when they were playing with him.

Sam frowned as he noticed another oddity. There weren't any fresh bite marks on him. In fact... Sam slowly sat up and pulled his shirt up. He was _bandaged_. The only time they ever bandaged him was when he was in danger of dying. Why-?

"Hey, you're up."

Sam nearly jumped out of his skin as he scrambled around to face the voice. It was a Hunter.

The Hunter... _Dean_.

And just like that, Sam remembered everything that happened the day before. Kal and the others had been killed. The townspeople kicked him out of town. Dean took him in and took care of him. Sam accidentally let a few tears escape before he regained composure and quickly wiped his tears away.

He was okay. He wrapped his arms around his chest. He was _safe_.

Dean was holding a couple dead rabbits, a bloodied knife secured to his belt. He lifted the rabbits and said, "I got us some breakfast. I just need to skin them and start a fire so we can cook 'em."

Sam felt sick at the sight of the rabbits. He was relieved to hear that Dean was going to cook them, but it didn't seem to help settle his stomach.

Vampires don't like cooking for the most part. There wasn't really any point in cooking for them. So when they had to feed Sam, they usually just killed an animal and gave Sam the raw flesh. It was disgusting and Sam hated it, but it was all they would give him, so he ate it. The fresh blood seemed to excite them as well, so it was kind of a 'dinner and a show' kind of deal for them. Unfortunately, it occasionally made Sam sick and he'd be forced to throw it all back up. And then he'd get beaten for being 'ungrateful'.

So, for the last several years, his diet consisted of raw meat and water. Even after all this time of eating it, raw meat still made Sam's stomach churn.

Sam brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the sounds of Dean skinning the dead animals. The sound was bringing unwanted memories to the surface.

He had very vague memories of the first few times the vampires fed him. He had refused to eat the meat, so they chained him to a bed and force-fed him as they enjoyed their own dinner.

Sam trembled at the memories. He could feel the phantom fangs digging into his thighs and arms and sucking the juices out of him. He could even feel the meat being literally shoved down his throat, liquid blood gurgling into his lungs when he breathed wrong.

Sam had learned quick to just eat what they offered without complaint. It was so much better than the alternative.

Dean watched Sammy as he started another fire. The poor boy was curled up tight, his face hidden and his body trembling. Dean almost wanted to ask him what was wrong, but he had no idea what good it would do.

He grabbed some equipment from his trunk and set it up so he could start cooking the now skinned and gutted rabbits. As he set everything up and started to cook the vermin, his mind wandered to the main issue at hand: what to do about this Common child. Dean looked back at the kid a couple times, but Sammy mostly remained still except for the sporadic trembling.

Dean was _not_ equipped to take care of this kid. Sure, he could take care of Sammy's _physical _needs, but he needed so much more than that. Sammy needed someone who could help him psychologically, and Dean was certainly not that someone.

So what should he do? He could drop Sam off at some Common hospital, in hopes that they took care of him. As long as it was a different town than this, there shouldn't be any problem of the Commons fearing or rejecting him.

Yeah... as soon as Dean saw a hospital that's looked well taken care of, he can drop Sammy off there and be on his way.

Dean smiled to himself, happy he found a solution. He checked the meat a few times, making sure it was cooked enough to eat. Satisfied, he took the rabbit off and set it aside to cool and started cooking the next one.

"Sammy... Hey, Sammy."

Sammy looked up from his curled position, his eyes wide filled with emotion.

_Wow,_ Dean thought. _Could his eyes **get** any wider?_ "Got some breakfast cooked up for you. It'll take a few minutes to cool, but you can start picking at it if you'd like."

Sam had been smelling the rabbit cook and he had to admit, it smelled _really_ good. His stomach grumbled and he was starting to salivate.

Curiosity and hunger superseded his memories as he slowly crawled toward the cooked meat. Sitting down next to it, he gingerly picked a small piece off. He tossed it hand to hand until it cooled off. Then he plopped it in his mouth and started to chew.

Sam moaned in delight as the juices flowed out of the meat. It wasn't blood, but some sort of salty grease that slicked his throat and made him salivate even more. As he chewed, the meat fell apart nicely in his mouth. Raw meat was usually tough and hard to chew. But not this meat.

Dean suppressed a laughter as Sammy started to eagerly peel off pieces of rabbit. The child was _clearly_ starving. Sam suddenly started to tear into the carcass like a wolf pup, complete with little hungry growls.

Okay. Dean had to admit. It was pretty cute. Despite the circumstances.

With the other rabbit cooked, Dean leaned back against his bags and started eating. He knew these rabbits weren't going to hold them over for very long, so they were going to need to find an actual restaurant within the next few hours.

* * *

Sam sat up straight in the impala's passenger seat, hands neatly folded in his lap. He was curious about where they were going, but didn't want to ask. For several reasons.

He occasionally looked over at Dean, who was driving with pair of dark sunglasses on. Sam was actually a little disappointed. He liked seeing Dean's eyes shine in the light. It was cool.

"So, Sammy..."

Sam looked up at Dean with wide eyes, not expecting to be addressed.

"Anything... specific you wanna talk about?"

Sam looked down at his hands. He had no idea what to say to that. Or if he should say anything at all. Last thing he wanted to do was anger the Hunter.

Dean spared a quick glance over at the boy. He had started trembling again. _Goddammit..._ he thought. _Didn't mean to scare the kid..._

Dean was used to driving in silence. When he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts, he'd turn his music off and just listen to the scenery zoom by. But when there was someone else in the car, silence was just awkward.

Dean knew he probably wasn't going to get a verbal answer to his question. The last thing this kid seemed to want to do is talk. Heck, for all Dean knew, the kid was mute. _Could he be...?_

"Hey... are... uh, are you mute?"

Sam actually jumped, completely surprised by the question. He quickly shook his head before quietly mumbling a quick "N-no," feeling the need to prove he wasn't mute. Then he realized what he just did and quickly shrunk away from Dean, expecting a blow.

Dean's stomach twisted. He was glad that Sammy managed to finally say something... _I mean, that has to be good, right?... _But it was just terrible how Sam seemed to expect a beating for doing such a thing.

"Sammy..."

The kid flinched and trembled.

This was just too overwhelming. Dean pulled the impala over and turned off the ignition before turning to face the kid. Sammy still shrank away from him, but now he was looking at Dean cautiously, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

Dean sighed as he removed his sunglasses. "Look, I'm not going to beat you. In fact, I'm not going to hurt you in any manner. Hunters have a strict code of law that forbid us from harming any Commons. That includes you."

Sammy's cautiousness turned into more confusion. He wrapped his arms around himself, gripping his sides tightly.

"You can talk all you want," Dean continued. "You can pretty much do whatever you want, and I won't hurt you. Understand?"

Sammy gave a half-nod, half-shake of the head, obviously still confused.

Dean sighed. He was at a loss. What was he supposed to do? He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. _The sooner we get to a hospital, the better_.

"My..."

Dean looked over at Sammy, surprised to find the boy struggling to get his words out.

"My name..." Sam swallowed, his face contorted in fear. "... it's Sam. B-but I like... Sammy..." He closed his eyes and swallowed again before looking over at Dean.

Dean smiled. It seemed Sammy... or Sam... was becoming a bit more confident. '_Sam'... jeez, who knew I'd get so close to actually guessing his name? Guess that's why he gave me that look last night._

Then Dean realized Sam was still staring at him uncertainly, despite Dean's smile. _Right..._ Dean thought things over for a moment._ Well, I suppose after all the negative stimuli, he needs some positive ones... right?_ Dean looked at his hand for a moment (not sure if this was the right thing to do) before reaching out to reassure the boy that he was okay.

Sam closed his eyes and shrunk back as Dean extended a hand towards him. He was expecting a harsh slap across the head. _Nah ah ah, meat! You don't speak unless we tell you to, brat!_

But instead he felt a warm solid grip on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and stared at the hand on his shoulder, before looking at Dean's face.

Dean smiled again. "It's okay. Remember? I'm not going to hurt you."

Sam started trembling again, but this time it wasn't out of fear. Suddenly he was compelled by this need to be close to the Hunter. The same need that egged him on right after Dean had killed Kal.

He gently leaned against Dean's side, relishing the warmth and the smell of leather and... strangely enough... fresh clovers. A warm sensation bubbled in Sam's stomach, making him feel safe and protected.

Dean looked down at Sam uncertainly as the kid leaned against his side. _What is with this kid and _**_leaning_**_ against me?_

Watching Sam relax against his side, Dean couldn't help but remember his mother. He had vague memories running to his mother for comfort when training got to be tough. This, of course, ended when she died. John was of little comfort to Dean when he came crying to his father's room, scared of his own nightmares.

And those were just nightmares. Sam had actually lived through a terrible captivity that was even worse than anything Dean had ever dreamed of.

So, not wanting to deprive Sam of something he so desperately needed, he wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulders, gently squeezing him against his side. "I don't know what those vampires did to you, but I have an idea." Dean bit his lip, not knowing what to say, but feeling compelled to say _something_. "I have never seen victims of supernatural entities that have survived as long as you obviously have, so I honestly have no idea how to help you. That's why, next town or city we're in, I'm giving you to a hospital that'll take care of you."

Sam looked up at Dean in a panic. Dean was going to get rid of him. He can't! Dean can't leave him! Not now! "B-but...!"

Dean sighed, wondering why the hell this kid thought he was some sort of savior. "Look, I _can't_ take care of you! I don't know enough about Commons, or trauma, or anything that you need! You need professionals that can take care of you right and give you a good home. Trust me, you don't want to be gallivanting across the country with a Hunter. It's not a good life. Especially for a Common. And I, quite honestly, can't take you in. It's too dangerous and keeping you with me could get us both killed."

Sam shut his eyes and buried his face in Dean's side, trying desperately not to cry. He didn't care what Dean said, Sam just wanted to stay with _him_. He knew that everything Dean was saying was true, but he also knew that no Common in their right mind was going to want Sam now. Look at him! He's just this used up piece of trash...

_What about this Hunter?_ a voice in his head said. _If this Hunter can accept you, why can't any Common?_

Sam didn't know why he was so drawn to Dean, he didn't know why he wanted to stay by his side. All he knew was that he _did_. And that's all he cared about.

Dean sighed guiltily as the kid started to cry. After being a vampire toy for so long, he was sure Sam's view on the world was a bit warped. But after Sam got back with Commons, Commons that would take care of him, he would see that Dean was right.

It was what was best. For Sam _and_ Dean.

* * *

**So what'd you guys think? Review and let me know!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Hope you guys are still enjoying the story. We're really starting to get into the meat of it now :D  
**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Enjoy chapter five!  
**

* * *

A very small town. Couple restaurants. No medical facilities.

_That's okay_, Dean thought. _At least we can eat. I'm starving..._

He parked the impala in a nearby gravel parking lot. "Stay here, Sammy. I'm just getting us some food then we'll get outta this town, 'kay?"

Sam gave a small nod before Dean put his sunglasses on and got out of the car.

Sam watched out of the bottom of the window at Dean's back as he walked away. As soon as Dean disappeared around the corner of the building, Sam tucked himself into the foot well in front of the passenger seat. He was in the habit of hiding from the outside world. Unless they were using him as a disguise, Kal wanted him to remain out of sight. Over the years, Sam had developed a lot of habits from Kal to try and avoid as much pain as possible.

He wasn't just hiding out of habit though. He was also hiding out of fear. If someone passing by happened to see him alone in the car, there would probably be questions. Sam had no idea what he'd do if that happened. So, he hid.

He mindlessly fiddled with the hem of his shirt. Or rather, Dean's shirt that he was borrowing. The clothes were a pretty nice fit. They were only a few sizes too big. He was obviously too skinny for them, but they weren't falling off of him in any case. They were fraying in a few spots, but they were overall in good condition.

Sam closed his eyes and rested his forehead on his knees. He desperately hoped it took them a while to find a hospital. He didn't want to leave Dean, and he dreaded a life with Commons. He was so used to a nomadic existence and and supernatural dangers were nothing new to him; he could probably adjust to a Hunter's life with relative ease.

But that was just the problem, wasn't it? He wasn't a _Hunter_. He was just vampire scraps, or whatever's left to him after all this time. He wouldn't last twenty-four hours in the Commons' world, let alone a Hunter's world.

The events of yesterday were seared into his brain. At first, he hadn't really noticed the Hunter. All he was really aware of was Kal, holding him against his chest tightly, using him as a shield as usual. Using Sam as a shield had gotten Kal away from Hunters in the past, but this Hunter was different. Dean saw right through it.

When Dean had decapitated Kal, Sam hadn't even noticed the blood splattering everywhere. He was too used to the smell and feel of dripping blood to be affected by it. He remembered staring at Kal's head with a sort of detachment. The bloody tendons, leaking veins, and severed spinal chord didn't even faze him. He did, however, feel a small twisted sense of amusement at Kal's final expression: fear. An emotion Sam had never seen on his face before.

"You really think shielding yourself with a Common child was going to keep you hidden from me? Ha! Think again."

When Sam had looked up at the Hunter, he gasped. When he had looked at Dean, wasn't the Hunter's almost malicious smile, his blood slicked body, or even his flashing eyes that had shocked Sam.

It was the emptiness.

Despite Dean's smile, there had been no joy in his eyes. When Sam looked, all he saw was a black void. It was something he recognized and knew well. Loneliness.

If Sam was honest with himself, he'd admit that he didn't just want to stay with Dean because he was scared and pathetically weak. He didn't want to remain by the Hunter's side just because he felt safe there. He wanted to somehow take that loneliness out of the Hunter's eyes. No one should ever feel like that. Not even Hunters, who are known for being notorious loners.

Yeah, he _wanted_ to take that void away. But it seemed that all Dean wanted to do was get rid of him as soon as possible. Drop him off at the nearest hospital and be on his way. For all those reasons Dean had mentioned earlier.

Sam felt tears rising but he pushed them back. Crying wouldn't do him any good at this point. It wouldn't clarify his future; a future blurred by fear and the unknown variable that was Dean. Even if Dean allowed him to stay, Sam wasn't so certain he'd be able to survive, though he was willing to try. Sam also knew that, sooner or later, Commons would reject him as well. So Sam was pretty much screwed either way.

Sam cursed himself for being too cowardly to just kill himself and simplify thing for everyone. Dean wouldn't have to deal with this nuisance and he wouldn't become a burden for any Common. But Sam was terrified of the hereafter. He didn't want to plunge himself into an eternity of pain and suffering.

To Sam's frustration, a few tears leaked out. _Goddammit, stop crying!_

Why his family? Of all the families out there, why did Kal have to chose his? And why had they been so compelled to punish him for something he didn't even understand?

The passenger door burst open and Sam's head shot up in surprise. Dean stood there, holding a paper bag stained with fresh grease. He looked a little... startled.

"D-Dean?"

Dean closed his eyes and sighed, his body visibly relaxing. He was relieved that the boy hadn't run off. There was no way this kid could survive on his own at the moment. "Sam, what the hell are you doing?"

Sam frowned, not sure what Dean was asking.

Dean looked around at the rest of the impala. "Why are sitting down _there_?"

He looked at Dean as if the answer should have been obvious. "I didn' wan' anyone to see me..." he said quietly. He clenched the hem of the shirt, praying that Dean wouldn't get angry.

Dean stared at Sam for a moment. The kid had a childish slight southern drawl when he spoke. A little too childish. It took him by surprise. With the little Sam had said this morning, it hadn't occurred to Dean that Sam's speech might have been affected by all his years in captivity.

He closed the passenger door and ran around to get in on the driver's side. Closing the door behind him, he removed his sunglasses and placed the food on the passenger seat. "Suit yourself. In any case, let's eat."

* * *

It was later that afternoon that Dean received his call from the Association. They gave him his next assignment, along with all the information they knew up to that point.

The impala was pulled over the side of the road as Dean leaned against the impala's hood, looking at a map to see where he would be going. Sam remained sitting in the impala, passively waiting for Dean to end the call.

When the call ended, Dean snapped his cell closed in frustration. It was now imperative that he got rid of Sam. He needed to get to his assignment before anymore Commons were killed, but he didn't just want to dump Sam off in some random town.

_This is becoming a bigger pain in the ass than I thought it would_. _I need to just get rid of him as soon as possible._

Dean looked inside the impala through the windshield. Sam just sat there, head bowed down and hands folded in his lap. Dean remembered earlier that day, when he tried to comfort Sam and coerce him to come out of his shell. He regretted his actions now. As a Hunter, he couldn't afford to get attached in anyway. Any unnecessary emotions are dangerous for Hunters. Emotions can cloud a Hunter's mind, affect his ability to get the job done. It often got Hunters killed.

He growled in frustration, his fists clenched tightly. Why did this simple Common boy have such an effect on him? He's no different than any other Common victim, so why did Dean give this one 'special treatment'? Was it because he pitied the poor bastard? Or was it something else?

"You're a Hunter, goddammit!" Dean muttered to himself. "You're not some damned babysitter. You have a job to do." He turned back to the map. _I need to take a route that takes us through a reasonably large town or city so that I can just give Sam over to a proper Common hospital. Where he belongs._

Their course laid out, Dean folded up the map and got into the impala. _This'll be over soon._

* * *

The next couple of days were relatively uneventful. Dean had to take a slower traveling pace since the needs of Commons' were greater than that of Hunters. He had to treat Sam's wounds every few hours because of how extensive they were. Sam's bladder capacity was also severely limited as well, but Dean assumed that was just another byproduct of his captivity.

Sam also needed more sleep than Dean, and because of his still-healing wounds, sleeping in the impala was nearly impossible. That meant longer stops at motels so Sam could get enough sleep and not go insane from sleep-deprivation.

Sam always seemed hesitant to fall asleep at first, as if fearful Dean might leave without him. But exhaustion would quickly catch up to him and he'd sleep peacefully. Dean spent this extra time researching his hunt. The more he knew, the less likely he would be caught unawares.

For the most part, Sam didn't speak unless spoken to, answering in his childish dialect with a barely audible voice. If he hadn't been a Hunter, Dean doubt he would have been able to hear the boy at all.

Sam avoided topics that included his captivity with the vampires. All Dean really learned from Sam was that the main vampire seemed to be named Kal. Sam was also tight-lipped about his life before the vampires. Whenever Dean inquired about his family, Sam would shut down on him.

Dean didn't mind really. The less he knew about the boy, the less he would care for him. Giving him back to the Commons would be a non-event. He mostly tried to talk to Sam just to try ease the awkward silences that often occurred as they traveled.

Three days later, they were on an open highway. The impala seemed to be the only car in miles. Dean was feeling more at ease now that a small city only a few hours ahead. He would finally be able to get rid of Sam and get on with his life. Things would be so much simpler after today.

As they drove, something appeared on the horizon. Dean frowned, certain that there shouldn't be anything but wasteland and a few farms in this area. As they got closer, he realized it was some sort of roadblock. It obviously wasn't sanctioned by the authorities, if the Commons' clothes were anything to go by.

_What the hell is this?_ Dean made sure his sunglasses were in place as he slowed the impala to a stop about ten meters from the roadblock.

He glanced over at Sam. The boy was staring at the obstruction in the road, his eyes wide and fearful. He curled in on himself and slid down in his seat as he began to tremble.

"Don't worry," Dean muttered as he checked to make sure his pistol was in his concealed holster. "This shouldn't take long."

Sam merely responded with a quick nod.

One of the Commons stepped forward. It seemed he was the leader. He was holding a shotgun, the barrel resting on his shoulder. "My name is Kyle Rivel. If you would be so kind as to step outta the car!" he shouted, a twisted smirk on his face.

Dean opened the door and slowly stepped out of the car. _This is going to be annoying... _"You'll allow us to pass. You have no authority placing this roadblock here."

Rivel sneered. "This roadblock is here to keep the citizens of the city safe. We need to inspect your car to make sure you're not terrorists or something." Then he noticed Sam still sitting in the car. "Get outta the car, brat! That's a direct order from the police!"

Dean rolled his eyes, chuckling at their obvious stupidity. "You guys are such novices!"

Rivel turned back to Dean, glaring at him. He lowered his shotgun and aimed it at the Hunter. "What did you say?"

"You men are nothing but vultures," Dean smirked, enjoying how aggravated the men were becoming. "You pretend to be some sort of authority... by the way, this is a piss-poor imitation... so you can pick off any valuables from unsuspecting travelers. But you're all such novices that someone with mental difficulties could have seen right through you!" Dean laughed, honestly amused by their failed attempt at a robbery.

Rivel growled. "No one talks to me like that!" He squeezed the trigger, but before it fired, Dean suddenly appeared right in front of Rivel, his shotgun in hand.

"What! How did you do that!" Rivel screamed. "How did you move that fast!"

Dean laughed. "Amateurs." He removed the shotgun shells before tossing the weapon aside. Rivel's gang now had their own weapons aimed at him, but he wasn't worried. "Now, for the last time, you are going to let us pass."

Rivel smiled, his bravado back. "Over our dead bodies. It's all of us against you. What do you think _you_ can do?"

Dean sighed impatiently. He really didn't want to have to resort to this, but he had no choice.

He removed his sunglasses, tucking them in his pocket before staring Rivel straight in the eyes. "If you and your merry men don't move, then I will simply _make_ you move."

Rivel's eyes widened in fear as the man's eyes flashed in the light. Suddenly, there was something very _inhuman_ about this man. And it wasn't just his eyes. It was... _everything_. The man's whole demeanor had somehow changed. This... this wasn't a man. Whatever it was, it glared at him and Rivel's mind was screaming at him to run away, to get away from this not-human _thing_. He started to step backward, eyes never leaving the man. "W-what the hell are you!"

It was kind of satisfying for Dean, watching all the men backing away fearfully. Commons are such a simple people. Weak and pointless.

"I am a Hunter," Dean declared, smiling as some of the men shivered. "If you do not let us through, I swear to whatever deity you might worship, you _will _regret it."

Rivel nodded. "Y-yeah, sure. Go right ahead." He motioned for his men to remove the roadblock.

Dean gave a grunt of satisfaction. "Good choice." He turned around and got into the impala, slamming the door shut. "What a bunch of cowards."

Sam just nodded. He watched fascinated as the men cleared the way for them. It was amazing to Sam how much power Dean had just because of who he was. All he did was reveal his eyes and proclaim himself a Hunter, but the men were practically stumbling over themselves to do what Dean wished.

Dean put his sunglasses back on and drove through the opening in the roadblock. As he drove away, he saw them putting the roadblock back, but he couldn't care less what they did now. _Let Common police deal with them_.

As they drove away, Sam started to think about that black void of Dean's. _Loneliness_. It was awe-inspiring it was to see Commons fearing Dean so instinctively, but as Sam started to think about it, he imagined being that fearful to Commons might make things lonely for him. After all, if people feared him, they would want to avoid him, make him an outcast.

_Like me_.

"D-Dean?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

"Does..." Sam bit his lip, not certain how he was going to phrase this. "Do ya get lonely?"

Dean frowned. It was a bizarre question. Almost as bizarre as Sam starting a conversation. "Why would you think that?"

Sam looked away. He obviously made a mistake. "Never mind."

There was a moment of silence in the impala, the silence filled only by sounds of the scenery zooming by. Then Sam spoke again.

"It's jus'... Commons get scared of me. 'S lonely. And scary."

Dean's gut started to twist on itself. _Why is he saying this? Of all things, why would he think that I'm **lonely**?_

Was he lonely? Was that why it irritated him when people shied away from him, refused him services, or gave them freely because of their fear? Sure it was convenient at times, to have people do what he wants because they were terrified of him, but that also meant no one treated him normally. He never really had any real conversations with anyone besides his father.

Dean's eyes widened as the realization. He _was _lonely_._ He hated that people never looked at him normally or kindly unless he suppressed his Hunter side. That some people just wanted to try and use him because of his authority and power. That to all the Commons, he was nothing but a necessary evil.

Of course, Dean hid all of this. Even from himself. He didn't want to acknowledge that loneliness. He didn't want it to affect his ability to do the job. So he put on his mask, locking that loneliness away behind a wall of anger and conceit.

But Sam saw right through it. He saw through Dean's facade and was even coming out of his own shell to try and allow Dean see it as well.

But Dean couldn't. He couldn't allow any emotions to get in the way of what has to be done. Whether or not he was _lonely_ had nothing to do with it. He was a Hunter. And he had a job to do. _Dammit, why can't this Common just leave well enough alone?_

"Whether or not I'm lonely is irrelevant. I'm a Hunter, so it doesn't matter."

Sam just nodded and turned to look out the window. It was clear the conversation was at an end.

* * *

**So what'd you guys think? Review and let me know!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**I got a few snow days, so I found time to write up another chapter :D**

**WARNING: Implied sexual abuse at the end of the chapter. I swear, it's nothing graphic. Just implied. But still, you've been warned.  
**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Enjoy chapter six!  
**

* * *

They entered the city an hour later. The city being relatively small, it was easy to navigate and find the hospital.

As he pulled up to the entrance, Dean gave the building a quick visual inspection. It looked well financed and there weren't any signs of neglect. It would be a good place to leave Sam. They'd take care of him.

Sam shrunk down dejectedly in his seat as they pulled up to the hospital. This was it. Dean was going to drop him off and be on his way. End of story.

Dean parked the impala and looked over at Sam. His stomach twisted upon seeing Sam so miserable. It was clear he didn't want to leave Dean's side. For whatever reason, Sam didn't fear the Hunter. That in itself was dangerous for Sam. Most Commons have that instinct of fear when they see Hunters because Hunters _are_ dangerous. If Sam didn't have that instinct, that meant he was more likely to put himself in danger. Another reason why Sam needed to be integrated back into Common society.

"I know you don't want stay here," Dean said. "But like I said before, it's dangerous for you to stay with me. The hospital will take care of you, then put you in a good home. You can grow up the way a Common should."

Sam shook his head stubbornly. "Can' be Common. Never." He pulled his knees to his chest and curled into a small ball. "Never Common."

Dean sighed, running his hand through his hair. "You might not understand now. But I swear, a few years from now, you'll be glad you didn't stay with me."

Sam just shook his head, not wanting to believe Dean. All he wanted was to be safe. And he knew that he wouldn't be safe unless he stayed with the Hunter. And besides...

"You'll be lonely," Sam muttered miserably.

Dean ignored the kid's final statement. Knowing he wouldn't be able to get through to Sam, he got out of the impala and motioned Sam to follow.

Sam didn't want to follow, but what choice did he have? If he didn't, Dean would probably carry him into that hospital by force. Repressing the need to throw up, Sam slowly got out of the car and followed a few paces behind Dean. He wrapped his arms around himself as he began to tremble. _Why can't I just kill myself?_

* * *

Dean removed his sunglasses as he entered the hospital. "I need to speak with a doctor immediately," he said with authority.

The receptionist looked up, a look of annoyance on her face. But when she saw the Hunter glaring at her with flashing eyes, her demeanor immediately changed and she picked up the phone, saying, "Yes, of course."

Sam just stood next to Dean, shoulder's hunched, head bowed down. He was really anxious, his insides curling into themselves and shriveling up. He didn't want to leave, he didn't want to stay with these Commons.

The way Sam stood was in complete contrast with Dean, who stood with this shoulders back and his head lifted high. Even if he wasn't a Hunter, it would have been obvious that this man was capable of commanding with authority.

Sam looked up at Dean shyly, envious of Dean's confidence. It was quite the sight to behold, the authoritative Hunter's eyes flashing every time his head moved. Those in the waiting area shrank away from him, yet they couldn't take their fear-filled eyes off of him. The receptionist, while remaining calm, was obviously wary of the Hunter.

The Hunter may strike fear in the hearts of others, but it made Sam feel safe. He was going to miss that. He reached for the edge of Dean's leather jacket, gripping it tightly in his fist. It helped calm him down. Besides, he might as well try to soak up as much of the safety Dean projected as possible before he had to leave.

Dean smiled with a grim satisfaction as the receptionist immediately did as he asked. Most hospitals were very responsive to Hunters, fully aware that they only came when they had victims that needed taking care of.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dean noticed the other patients cowering away from him. _Typical Commons..._

Feeling a small tug on his jacket, he looked down in surprise to find Sam clutching at him. He was still hunched over and his head bowed down, but he kept a tight grip on Dean's jacket. Dean could see Sam's body trembling badly.

A small voice in his head was starting to nag him. _Are you sure leaving Sam here is the best idea? After all, he's certainly not your typical Common. Or your typical entity victim._

A doctor burst through the doors. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Dean, his eyes widening. "H-Hunter," he stammered. "C-Come with me. We should talk in a private area."

_Sam is just like every other Common, goddammit!_ Dean mentally screamed at himself. He knocked Sam's hand off his jacket, grabbed his arm, and followed the doctor. "C'mon."

Something in Sam's chest lurched painfully as Dean slapped his hand away and roughly grabbed his arm, electing a gasp from him. _I guess Dean really **does** want to get rid of me._

They followed the doctor to his office. He closed the door behind them before seating himself on the other side of his desk. "What happened? I wasn't even aware that there was a Hunter in the city."

Dean let go of Sam, clasping his hands behind his back. "We're just passing through. Sam is a victim from a hunt I conducted a few days ago. Given certain circumstances, I couldn't leave him on his own. I was waiting to find a hospital capable of giving him proper care before getting rid of him. This is the first hospital I've encountered that seems to have the proper facilities to help him."

The doctor slowly nodded, trying to subtly wipe away his perspiration. He had heard about the effect of a Hunter's presence, but he had never expected it to be this _intense_. He gave a quick visual exam of the boy, who hadn't moved or said a single word since he came into the room. "What happened to him?"

"He was a captive of some vampires," Dean said matter-of-factly. "He has a few lacerations and bites that are still healing, but I've been treating them and they're not as serious as they were. He has some intensive scarring so he was probably with them a few years at least. As far as I know, he doesn't have any family."

The doctor stared warily at Sam. "He's not...?"

"He's not a vampire," Dean said emphatically. "Trust me, he wouldn't be alive if he was."

The doctor took in a deep breath, gathering up his courage, before coming out from behind the safety of his desk and approaching the child. His mind was telling him to stay _away_ from the Hunter, but his first priority was the child's well being.

The child was about five foot four and obvious underfed. He didn't seem to have any symptoms of infection or sickness, which was good. The doctor suspected that the main part of this child's recovery was probably going to be psychological. "You're name's Sam, am I correct?"

Sam didn't respond. He was completely ignoring everything around him on purpose. He didn't want to hear the exchange Dean and the doctor were having, he didn't want to face the reality that Dean was leaving him here, in a Common hospital. He just wanted to hide himself away in a place where no one could find him. He may be finally free of Kal, but being with Commons wasn't any better.

The doctor sighed, disappointed, but not surprised, by the lack of a response. He gently placed his hands on Sam's shoulders, sympathizing with the child when he flinched away from the touch. He turned to the Hunter and said, "We'll take good care of him and try to locate his family. If he doesn't have one, we'll find him a good home."

Dean nodded, satisfied that Sam was going to be taken care of. "Good. Then I'll be on my way." Dean turned and left the office without another word.

Sam felt hollow inside as Dean left the room without even acknowledging him. He bowed his head lower as he started to involuntarily cry. _I guess Dean really did want to get rid of me. He had no use for someone like me_.

The doctor smiled in sympathy. "It's okay now, Sam. The Hunter's gone..." Even though the child looked to be about thirteen or fourteen, he had no idea how the child was mentally, so he took a more childish tone to try and comfort him. "I know it must have scary, traveling with something like that. Especially after your ordeal with the vampires. But your safe now. We're gonna take care of you."

Sam started to cry and shake even harder. _No! I was safe with **Dean**! I'm not safe here...! _He fisted his hands into his hair and fell into a crouch, rocking back and forth. _What am I supposed to do now? What am I supposed to do!_

The doctor sighed. This was going to be one of those sad cases. He could tell already. He got up and paged a nurse. "Nancy, I've got a boy here who needs a physical. Call Dr. Golaya and tell her we need her. The boy's going to need a psychologist."

* * *

Dean laid on the motel bed, staring at the water-stained ceiling. Even with the little light that there was in the room, his eyes still flashed and reflected with every movement.

He was still in the city. _Why_ he was still in the city, he wasn't sure. It was still relatively early in the afternoon. If he just kept driving, he probably would have made it to his assignment by the next day.

But he just couldn't force himself to leave. Ever since he left Sam at that hospital, something's been nagging at him. It wasn't anything he could identify, but, for some reason, he couldn't stop thinking about Sam.

He had no idea why he couldn't stop thinking about him. The kid was just a Common. Sure, he had been abused and objectified for several years by vampires, but Sam was really no different than any other kid he's saved over the years. Why was Sam different?

Was it because he had spent a few days with him? While Sam hadn't talked much, Dean had to admit he had gotten a little attached to the child. That had obviously been a huge mistake and Dean should have known better.

Was it because of what Sam said earlier? About him being lonely? Sam had hit a chord with Dean when he mentioned it. Dean had no idea how Sam could derive such a conclusion from the little time they spent together. But the kid seemed genuinely worried about the fact that Dean was alone.

_Don't see why he would be worried. All Hunters are alone. It's part of **being** a Hunter. Having connections with anyone, Hunter or Common, is dangerous because it can emotionally cripple you. That's why I **had** to let Sam go._

Wait. Did Dean just admit to himself that he _wanted_ Sam to stay with him?

Dean growled in frustration as he sat up and shook his head hard. "Dammit, kid! Why do I care so much about you!"

A small voice in his head murmured, _Because he wasn't afraid of you_.

Dean rolled his eyes at himself. "Yeah," he muttered. "Stupid kid's head is messed up. Being used like he was screwed up his brains."

_He's still the only Common victim **ever **who hasn't feared you. There have been other Common children who were 'messed up' because of what they had experienced. They **all** feared you. Except Sam._

Dean just sat there in silence. He didn't even have anything mentally to say.

Back at the hospital, Sam had shut down again. He had been unresponsive except for the persistent trembling. Dean wondered how the kid was doing now. If he was getting the treatment he needed. If they were treating him well.

Dean looked over at the clock. It was nearly seven. _I left him there about two. Maybe I should check on him one last time before I leave the city_.

Suddenly, there was a hard knock on his door. Dean frowned. _Who the hell would be...?_

The knocking got more persistent. "Open up! It's the manager!"

Heaving an annoyed sigh, Dean quickly suppressed the Hunter in him before going to open the door. The stout, mousy haired manager he had checked in with earlier was standing there, looking very nervous.

"Can I help you?" Dean asked gruffly.

"Y-yeah. I just wanted to let you know that a gang has gone on a rampage in this part of the city. You should probably stay in your room through the night for your own safety."

Dean took a minute to listen to the city. He nodded slightly. He could hear some crashes and screams in the distance. It was odd. He should have heard all this before, with his enhanced hearing. But then again, he had been a little preoccupied.

"I'll be fine," Dean said, turning to go back into his room. "They'll probably be gone by morning, right?"

The manager nodded. "Yes, but I'm worried about the damage they're going to do through the night. I heard they're attacking the hospital of all places and..."

Dean spun around. "_What!_"

* * *

Sam laid dejectedly on his bed. His body was sore and achy, and he was mentally exhausted.

They examined every part of his body to check for injuries. He got scared and started to struggle partway through the examination, so they placed him in soft restraints. Sam, terrified of what they were going to do, laid passively through the exam, not wanting to anger the doctors.

After they examined him and treated his wounds, they brought in a psychologist to speak with him. At that point, Sam was practically paralyzed with fear and couldn't even process what she was asking him, let alone respond.

So they drew some blood for testing and hooked him up with an IV drip and kept his restraints on, just in case. The doctors had no idea if he would harm anyone or himself, so they had to take precautions.

He's been alone for a while now, so his anxiety levels were starting to go down. His trembling started to decrease and he was becoming more aware.

He gently tugged on the restraints in a futile effort to remove them. He felt so trapped and helpless.

"Dean..." he murmured quietly, hoping that Dean could impossibly hear him. "Please... I won' get 'n the way... please..." He started to cry out of desperation, tugging harder on the restraints. "Please..."

There was a loud crash somewhere outside the room, making Sam jump in his restraints and startling him out of his prayer.

"Shut up!" a voice in the distance yelled. "'Long as you all cooperate, no one gets hurt, GOT IT?"

Sam's breathing quickened as he heard more screams and crashes. There were hoots and hollers... What was going on?

Another voice, a much quieter one, as if he was speaking to the person next to him, said, "Watson and his boys'll get the meds. With this much to sell on the black market, we'll be millionaires by the end of the week." There was a pause. "Why don't you and your men have some fun? The place is secure and the police won't come barging in with all the civilians here."

Sam blocked out the noise, refusing to hear anymore. He pulled on his restraints again, this time he used all his strength. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. Instinctive fear waned his strength as he remembered what the vampires did to him whenever he tried to escape. _Dammit! I'm not with the vampires anymore!_ But he still couldn't get himself to try harder.

The door to his room burst open and a man with a shotgun charged in. When he saw Sam on the bed in his hospital gown, he smiled wide, exposing his rotting teeth. "Hey... I recognize you from before."

It was Rivel.

He placed his gun down and started to lower his pants. "I guess you could call this just desserts, eh boy?"

Sam cowered back and whimpered as Rivel undid the restraints on his legs and climbed onto the bed. "This is for that Hunter friend of yours. For _humiliating_ me in front of my men."

Sam quickly stared at the ceiling, trying to take himself away from this place. To make himself float away. But it wasn't working. His breathing quicken in anticipation. Kal did this to him occasionally, so he knew what to expect. But it didn't take his terror away, or the knowledge that it was going to painful.

He could feel Rivel positioning himself before saying, "Take it, you little bitch!" and plunged himself in.

Sam's sanity instantly vaporized.

"DEAN!"

* * *

**Oh my, is that a cliffy?**

**So what'd you guys think? Review and let me know!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**This chapter is a little shorter, but a LOT happens. it was kinda intense for me to write...  
**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Enjoy chapter seven!  
**

* * *

Dean jumped out of the impala as he pulled up to the hospital. Police had the entrances covered and were keeping the growing crowd of spectators back.

Dean felt his stomach drop as he looked at the building. Windows were broken, sparks were flying, no doubt from broken lights. Inside, Dean could hear the men talking, attacking and raping some of the patients.

_Sam!_ He tried to listen, see if he could hear Sam speaking... screaming... whimpering... _anything!_ But there was too much noise. Even if Sam was speaking, Dean wouldn't be able to pick him out of the din.

He let his Hunter side loose as he quickly pushed his way through the crowd. _I thought he would be safe here...! I swear, I thought he'd be **safe**!_

Whatever the police were using to keep the crowds back did nothing to stop Dean. He shoved his way through, ignoring the officer trying to stop him.

"Sir, please step back! We'll handle - "

Dean turned and glared at him, his eyes flashing dangerously in the night. "Try to stop me, Common," Dean growled, his face seeming to morph into something beastly. "I _dare_ you."

Without waiting for a response, Dean ran into the hospital with his inhuman speed. The officers instinctively gave him a wide berth. The officer Dean had growled at stood there almost paralyzed with fear. He didn't snap out of it until some of the crowd tried to get closer for a better look. Then he resumed his duty, trying to forget the face he just saw.

As he got deeper into the hospital, he saw men packing up the medical supplies, terrorizing the nurses and doctors, but Dean ignored him all. He had to find _Sam_.

"SAM!" Dean yelled. He started checking out each individual room. Most were empty, but he occasionally found a terrified patient curled up in their bed. His search only served to terrify them further but he couldn't worry about that.

When he got to the second pediatric ward, he found one of the men orally raping a young girl. Disgusted, Dean grabbed the man and threw him against the wall. The force created a six-foot dent in the wall and rendered the man unconscious.

He looked over at the Common girl, but when she saw him, she screamed and backed away from. "Please don't hurt me!" she shrieked.

Dean angrily sighed and left the room, continuing his search. _You're welcome_, he thought bitterly.

That's when he heard it. It was screechy and desperate, the sound of a creature who has nothing left. The mere sound of it shot an arrow through Dean's chest.

_"DEAN!"_

Turning in his place, he ran toward the scream, arriving at the door in a manner of seconds.

He had heard of the term 'seeing red' before. But he never before thought that it was literal.

Rivel was pounding himself into Sam fast and violently. Sam sobbed and screamed, no longer capable of any intelligent sounds. Sam recognized the feeling of being ripped into two, the feeling of being punched from the inside. The sensations were ripping themselves into Sam's mind... and all he could do was scream.

Suddenly, Rivel disappeared. The intrusion and weight of his body gone, Sam curled his legs together, his wrists still restrained, and sobbed heavily. He thought he'd never have to do anything like that ever again once Kal had been killed. It never occurred to him that the Commons would do that sort of thing as well.

_Kill me..._ Sam silently begged Rivel, his eyes squeezed shut. _Please, just kill me..._

Behind his closed lids, he saw a figure approach to stand over him. He whimpered pathetically and cringed away. _I don't want to live like this... please... **somebody kill me!**_

"Hey, shh... shh... it's okay. It's me, Dean."

Sam's eyes snapped open at the voice. His vision was blurry with tears, but he could still make out who's face it was. "D-Dean..."

Dean forced a smile for Sam's sake. He couldn't _really_ believe that look of sheer relief and joy on the Common's face was really his doing, but at least Sam knew it was him.

He pulled a blanket over Sam's exposed body before undoing the restraints. It was difficult; his body was still shaking from residual rage. Finally, he just ripped the restraints off.

Sam rubbed his wrists as they were released, trying to rub the faint pain away. He looked back up at Dean warily. "You're... really here...?"

"We'll talk later," Dean said. "We need to get outta here. Can you stand?"

Sam just stared blankly at Dean. It was all happening too fast. Was this really real?

Dean grabbed Sam's shoulders and shook him. "Hey! Don't go spacey on me now!" He looked out the door, listening to what was going on. "We should be able to leave out the back without too much interference." He looked back at Sam. "Can you walk?"

Instead of answering, Sam tried to tentatively step off the bed and stand. Standing wasn't a problem, but as soon as he took his first step, pain shot up insides. He would have collapsed on the floor of Dean had not caught him. He cringed back while muttering an apology.

"It's okay," Dean said quietly. Without asking permission, he wrapped a blanket around Sam and picked him up, holding him to his chest. While the kid was tall, he was also skinny, making it relatively easy to hold him. "We'll probably get outta here faster like this anyway."

Making sure Sam didn't see the bloody mess that was Rivel, Dean exited the room and quickly headed toward an exit in the back of the building. Thankfully, his speed meant that even if someone saw them, they wouldn't be able to identify them.

As childish as it made Sam feel, he was enjoying huddling into the Hunter's chest. The warm body and arms were slowly getting rid of the chill in Sam's body. Sam clenched his eyes shut and burrowed himself in Dean's chest. It was probably the safest he's ever felt.

Dean held on to Sam tightly as he ran out of the hospital. A protective instinct was taking over, cradling the Common close to his chest. _I swear, Sam. I won't let anything or anyone hurt you ever again!_

* * *

Thankfully, all the Commons' attention was on the hospital, so no one took notice of the Hunter as he placed his precious cargo in the back seat and quickly got into the driver's seat to drive away.

It was a quick drive back to the motel. Dean's Hunter senses and reflexes made it easy to quickly weave his way through traffic without causing an accident.

When they arrived at the motel, Dean made quick work of carrying Sam from the impala to his room, not wanting to raise suspicions from anyone who might happen to walk by.

He gently placed Sam on the bed before making sure the door was locked and the curtains were closed. Then he flicked the lights on, which buzzed and fluctuated before steadying to a dull yellow glow.

Sam lay limply on his side, staring up at Dean with wide, wet eyes. His eyes tracked Dean as the Hunter grabbed a chair and dragged it to the bedside. Now that everything had calmed down, Sam found himself detached from whatever world this was. Somehow, though, watching Dean kept himself grounded by a thread. However, conscious thought was beyond his current capabilities.

Dean watched Sam as he sat down, a look of worry and sadness on his face. He had no idea what to do. Sam was just staring at him, his body limp and in the same position Dean had set him down in. For some reason, Sam's staring didn't disturb Dean. Instead, it made Dean feel... well, he didn't know _how_ it made him feel. He leaned forward and gently wiped Sam's sweaty bangs out of his face. He continued to stroke the child's hair; it brought a sense of calm to Dean.

"I don't know what it is about you," Dean said quietly. "At first you were just like every other Common victim. I pitied you, but knew my duty; knew what I had to do." Dean's eyes started to feel warm and prickly, his voice starting to crack.

"But you... You..." Dean laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "In the few days that you were with me, you _saw_ me. You asked if I was lonely." Dean gave a breathy laugh, his eyes filling with hot liquid. "And I scoffed at the question... I'm a Hunter, so what does it matter?"

Tears started to fall down the side of Sam's still face, creating little watery paths over the bridge of his nose and down across his temple. He swallowed compulsively, his breathes becoming shaky.

Dean smiled sadly as he wiped Sam's tears away, Sam's gaze never wavering. "When I left you at the hospital, I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought you were safe. You were _supposed_ to be safe." Dean closed his eyes and bowed his head guiltily. When he pulled Rivel off Sam, he didn't even know what he was doing. He just hurt Rivel as badly and quickly as he could.

"And now we're here. Together, like this." He knew tears were falling down his face, but he didn't care. "And, Sam? I'm never leaving you anywhere ever again. You're staying with me, 'cause you know what? I _am_ lonely. And so are you. So I guess we need each other, don't we?"

Sam's breathing hitched as he continued to look at Dean, tears streaming down the side of his face. Dean had his hand placed on Sam's neck, cupping the bottom of his face as he thumbed the tears away. Finally, Sam slowly lifted his own hand. It trembled badly as it gently laid over Dean's hand. "Safe... now...?" Sam croaked.

Dean turned his hand to grip Sam's. The frail appendage was sweaty and still trembling, so Dean squeezed it firmly in a gesture of comfort. "Yeah. You're safe now."

* * *

Sam fell asleep soon after that. Considering the day he's had, Dean was certainly not surprised. Hell, Dean felt like _crap_. His emotions have been all over the place all day. It had been an intense day for _both_ of them.

But Dean couldn't sleep. He just couldn't. He just couldn't pull himself away from Sam's bedside. He still gripped Sam's limp hand in his. He wasn't sure why he didn't just let go; it's not like Sam was aware of it. But he didn't let go. He couldn't.

Dean had no idea if he had made the right decision in letting Sam stay with him, but he didn't care. Dean had tried to keep himself away from Sam, both emotionally and physically and it hadn't worked. He didn't know what the deal with this kid was, but he didn't care any more. He was going to care for the child. Sam was going to stay by his side, no matter what.

Dean was broken out of his reverie by his cellphone, which started to vibrate in his pocket. Frowning, he pulled it out with his free hand and answered it. "This is Dean."

"Mr. Winchester," a cold voice on the other end sneered. "Are you aware that three more Commons have been killed in Athens, Tennessee?"

Dean's eyes widened at the voice and his back straightened instinctively. "Prolocutor, I - "

"Just answer the question, Mr. Winchester," the man said impatiently.

Dean bit his lip as he quickly looked down at Sam, who was still out for the count. With everything that's happened with Sam, Dean was days behind where he should be. He couldn't exactly just explain the situation. There was no way the Association would approve of him caring for a Common child.

"Alright..." the prolocutor said, obviously annoyed. "Then if you can't answer that question, then perhaps you can answer this one. Why are you not at your assigned hunt?"

Dean swallowed hard. He really hadn't thought through how he was going to deal with the Association in terms of Sam yet. What was he supposed to say? "I just got a little behind..."

"Are you injured?"

"No, but - "

"Are you having car issues? That piece of junk is a bit outdated at this point so I wouldn't be surprised."

"The impala's _fine_," Dean ground out. "I just got a little sidetracked. I'll be in Athens by tomorrow, I_ promise_."

There was a moment of silence on the other end. "Very well. But you better not have been doing anything _inappropriate, _Mr. Winchester. You're a fine Hunter. I wouldn't want to put you through Reclamation."

Dean's heart nearly stopped at the mention of it. "Don't worry, Prolocutor. That will... in no way... be necessary."

There was a huff of approval at the other end. "Good."

A sharp click marked the end of their conversation. Dean slowly brought the phone down from his ear and eased it shut with shaking hands.

He was sweating. He wiped his forehead off and took a deep breath. He'd have to be careful. If a prolocutor called him, that meant he was being suspected of indiscretion. If the Association sent out a representative to check up on him, it would mean disaster for both himself and Sam.

He rubbed a hand over his face as he looked back down at Sam. The kid was sleeping so peacefully, totally unaware of the world of Hunters. If Dean wanted to protect Sam, he was going to have to think of something that would either convince the Association to accept Sam as Dean's to care for, or think of a way to hide Sam from the Association and its representatives.

* * *

**Hmm... the Association is going to create a problem for our new duo, isn't it? *evil grin*  
**

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Supernatural is off their hiatus! And what a great show it was XD  
**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Enjoy chapter eight!  
**

* * *

Sam was groggy when he woke up. For a while, he just laid there and stared at the horribly floral walls. He felt mostly numb except for a dull throb between his legs. _Did... Kal...?_

It took a few moments, but the events of the past week came rushing back. He closed his eyes and sighed. _No, not Kal. That Rivel guy._ He shivered and curled into himself, trying to push the memory of Rivel inside of him out of his mind. _I'm safe now... I'm with Dean._

Sam slowly eased himself into a sitting position, wincing at the effort. _Why is my body so stiff?_ He blinked a couple times in the morning light before looking around the room.

The room was empty, but the shower was running in the bathroom. Sam was actually a little relieved. He wanted to sort out a few things on his own.

First of all, why did Dean come back for him? Don't get him wrong, he was extremely grateful and ecstatic that Dean wanted Sam to stay with him. But why? When he left in at the hospital, it seemed pretty clear that Dean didn't want anything to do with him. He shoved him aside and didn't even say goodbye.

Sam had a vague memory of the night before when Dean saying that he was lonely. That they needed each other. Did he mean it? Did Dean come back for him because he realized he was lonely?

Sam pulled his knees up against his chest, a warm feeling bubbling up inside of him. He couldn't believe it. Dean actually _wanted_ him to stay with him. He wasn't going to be alone. He was going to be safe.

The bathroom door opened and Dean walked out of the steamed bathroom wearing only boxers. He looked at Sam with surprise. "You're awake." He smiled. "Good. We need to hit the road. I need to get to Tennessee by the end of the day."

Sam cocked his head a little, frowning. "Tennessee?"

"Yeah," Dean said absentmindedly as he started to get dressed. "It's where my next assignment is."

Sam slowly nodded. He looked down at his hands with uncertainly, thinking hard. "So... Tennessee is a place?"

Dean had been starting to pack when he froze. _Did he say what I think he just said?_ He turned to Sam. Sam looked up at him with wide eyes and a look of obvious curiosity. "Sam... Tennessee is a state."

"Oh." Sam looked down at his knees. He had the feeling he just did something wrong. "Sorry."

Dean was a little stunned at first, so he just threw the rest of his shirts into his duffel and zipped it closed. This really shouldn't be such a surprise to him. If Sam was taken from his family while he was still just a little kid, then that means his education up to this point would be limited.

"Don't apologize," Dean said, looking back at Sam. He was curled up at the head of the bed, head bowed and shoulders tense. "I'm not mad, Sam. I'm just a little surprised. That's all."

Dean was relieved to see the tension leave Sam's shoulders. Sam hesitantly peeked up through his bangs at Dean, biting his lip. "Okay," he murmured.

Dean mentally sighed. While he swore that Sam would stay with him, he still felt as though he was thoroughly unqualified to help Sam psychologically. He grabbed the shirt and sweat pants he left out on the table and tossed them towards Sam. "Get dressed. We really do need to get moving."

Sam instinctively flinched as the clothes were tossed toward him. Lifting his head all the way, he watched as Dean grabbed a map and stared at it, probably figuring out the quickest way out of the city.

Sam slowly crawled out from under the covers and picked up the shirt. It was about the same size as the last shirt Dean gave him. After he put the shirt on, he buried his face in the collar of the shirt and breathed deep. The smell of leather and fresh clovers was starting to become familiar. It made Sam feel assured that he was, in fact, safe.

"Alright," Dean said, stuffing the map into his pocket. "Let's get outta this hellhole of a city."

* * *

It was a long, silent trip on their way to Athens. After they left the city, Dean suddenly remembered that he had to treat Sam's wounds, so they stopped for a short while so he could do so. Once they were on their way again, Sam had fallen asleep and hadn't shown any signs of waking up.

Dean didn't mind. He was accustomed to silence. Though, it wasn't so much _silent_, as much quiet. Dean could hear the steady rhythm of Sam's breathing; soft and quiet. It had a calming effect.

Dean sighed. He spent the entire night trying to think of a solution to this problem with the Association. Even if he dodged detection this time around, they would eventually send a representative to check up on him anyway. They always did, and at random, to ensure that a Hunter was doing his or her job.

It would be impossible to hide Sam. They would be able to sense the Common presence, no matter how well Dean hid Sam visually, auditory, or olfactorily.

Which means Dean was going to have to come up with some sort of excuse or story to explain the circumstances. The truth certainly wouldn't cut it.

Dean tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. He was going to have to think of a masterpiece in order for this to work.

* * *

_Kal had his teeth embedded in Sam's shoulder, sucking slowly to make sure he didn't accidentally kill Sam. There was a tourniquet, but he didn't want to take any chances._

_Sam just laid there, naked on a old putrid bed, his eyes glossed over and mind floating somewhere away from reality._

_When Kal was finished, he wiped the blood off his lips and slapped Sam across the face. "Wake up! It's time for another lesson."_

_Sam's breathing quickened as Kal dug through his bag. He whimpered when he saw him pull out a ball gag and a whip._

_Kal handed the whip to Cara, then sat on the bed next to Sam. "Open wide, meat."_

_Sam started to cry as he did what was asked and Kal placed the gag in his mouth, securing it around his head._

_Kal gripped Sam by the hair and pulled his head back, making sure they had eye contact. "Jake and Ophelia say that you've been more defiant recently..."_

_Sam's eyes widened. He shook his head desperately, trying to say that he's been behaving; he's been obedient._

_"Don't lie to me," Kal sneered. He got off the mattress and grabbed Sam's wrists, holding them down. "When you're ready, Cara."_

_Cara smirked as she snapped the whip through the air a couple times, making Sam twitch and whimper in fear. Then she sliced the air and hit Sam across the chest, a large red welt appearing. She let the blows rain down, little cuts of leaking blood forming on Sam's body._

_Sam screamed and sobbed through the gag, trying to get away from the harsh blows. Finally, Kal smacked him across the head._

_"Stop struggling! You deserve every one of these lashes and more! Be grateful we're not skinning you."_

_An hour later, they were finally done. Kal put the blood-soaked whip away and said, "Very good, meat. Have you learned your lesson?"_

_Sam lay limply on the bed, his trembling body on fire and his breathing erratic. Blood was starting to seep into the mattress under him. He managed to nod his head, tears still falling down his face._

_Kal smiled at Sam affectionately. He sat next to Sam again and gently removed the gag. "Good boy," he said as he wiped the saliva off of Sam's sweaty and terrified face. "Good boy."_

* * *

Sam woke with a jerk, his eyes wide, and his breathing erratic. He looked around at his surroundings in a panic, trying to figure out where he was.

Dean took his eyes off the road when heard Sam gasp harshly. Sam looked panicked and scared. _He must have had a nightmare_. "Hey... you okay?"

Sam's eyes landed on the man sitting next to him. Not processing who it was, he immediately curled into a ball and flung his arms up in self-defense. "I-I'm sorry..." he whimpered. "Please don'..."

Dean bit his lip. He could try consoling Sam verbally, but considering that Sam was just trembling ball that was cowering away from him, he didn't know how effective that would be.

"Shit..." He pulled the impala over and turned off the engine. He turned to face Sam fully and...

... and now he had no idea what to do. Should he say something? Do something?

"Sam... Hey, it's okay... you're safe with me, remember?"

Sam didn't seem to hear him as he continued to whimper out apologizes and to beg for forgiveness.

Sam had never had a nightmare quite like this before. Dean had no doubt that Sam had _had_ nightmares before, but there was no indication of them once he had woken up. This time, however... it seemed as though his nightmare had bled into Sam's waking world.

Sam waited for the blows, the pain, the restraints, but he didn't feel anything. Nothing seemed to be happening.

But then a pair of arms were wrapped around him, and Sam tensed and whimpered, preparing for the worst. But there was something different. These arms were _warm_ and held him in a comfortably tight embrace. The smell of leather and covers washed over him, dragging him out of his nightmare and pulling him into reality. As he became more aware, he started to hear a voice.

"... to be fine, Sam. Remember what I said: I'll never let anyone or thing hurt you ever again. You're safe now..."

And the voice continued to mutter the same things over and over again. Sam's trembling started to calm and his breathing was going back to normal. Kal and all memories of pain were shoved into a cardboard box in the back of his mind. "D-Dean...?"

Dean had felt Sam crawling his way out of his nightmare. His body had stopped trembling and his breathing became even. Upon hearing his name, Dean smiled and sighed. "Hey, kiddo. Feeling better now?"

Sam pushed himself against Dean's chest, trying to burrow himself deeper into Dean's arms. It was so warm and safe. He just wanted to stay in Dean's arms forever and never come back out. He gave a small nod.

Dean had been running his fingers through Sam's hair, knowing that some people calmed down when their hair was messed with. He continued to do so even after Sam had fully awakened, figuring Sam probably needed the comfort. "You wanna talk about it?"

Sam quickly shook his head. He didn't even want to _think _about it, let alone talk about it. He nuzzled his face against Dean's chest, becoming addicted to the feeling of safety the proximity to Dean gave.

Dean nodded slowly, not really expecting Sam to be ready to talk for a long time. "Alright, well... if you're okay, we need to keep going. I need to be in Athens by nightfall and we're cutting it close as it is."

Sam's stomach twisted at the words, but he understood. He understood that Dean had a job to do and that he couldn't be selfish by keeping Dean all to himself like this. So he reluctantly nodded and started to pull back, wiping the wetness off his face.

Dean unwrapped his arms from Sam, but kept a hand on Sam's shoulder. "You sure you're okay?"

Sam nodded, feeling cold and empty inside once again.

Dean nodded. "Okay then." He turned the ignition and got back onto the road. "Now that you're awake, there's something I need to talk to you about."

Sam just looked at Dean, his mind running through all the possible topics Dean would need to talk to him about.

Dean licked his lips nervously. He really hoped he didn't regret this. "Sam... I've decided to train you as a Hunter."

Sam's jaw dropped and his heart skipped a few beats. "Wh-What! Me? A _Hunter_?"

Dean sighed. "Look, as a Common, there's a lot you don't know about Hunters and our world. There are few Commons that do. And I'll teach you about all of it eventually, but trust me when I say that the only way it's going to be even plausible for you to stay with me is if I train you."

Sam looked down at his pale, skinny arms in disbelief. How can someone like him be a Hunter? Forget the fact that he's a Common... Sam was just leftover vampire food. How could he _possibly_ become something as amazing as a Hunter?

Dean spared a glance over at Sam, who was looking a bit startled. "I won't lie, Sam. It won't be easy. But if you're going to stay with me, then you're going to need to learn a few skills. At least for your own safety."

Sam closed his eyes and clenched his fists tightly. He had no idea what was in store for him, but he trusted Dean. "O-okay." He opened his eyes and looked at Dean. "When will we start?" he asked quietly.

Dean gave a half-smile. "We can start now. I can teach you some of the basics." He leaned back in his seat, keeping one hand on the wheel. "First thing you need to know: salt. Salt is an effective weapon and form of protection against a large number of entities..."

* * *

**Things are getting interesting, are they not? ;D  
**

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**It's a bit shorter, but it moves the story along :)  
**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Enjoy chapter nine!  
**

* * *

They got to Athens by the end of the day and, to Dean's relief, there was no representative of any kind waiting for them.

It was a fairly quick and easy hunt. It was just the spirit of a murdered man wreaking havoc on a section of the city. Sam stayed in the motel room, behind a series of protections. Because he had done some research before they left the city, it only took Dean about two hours to find the body of the spirit and only another forty minutes to dig up the body to salt and burn it.

In the time it took to get to Athens, Dean was able to teach Sam the general basics and a few techniques for dealing with certain entities. The kid was smart. He soaked up the information like a sponge and, by the end of the day, was able to repeat everything he was told with almost deadly accuracy.

Unfortunately, simply learning about entities and protections is the easy part of hunting. He was going to have to learn how to use weapons, stealth, and develop physical endurance. And all of those things were going to take a lot of time and practice.

Obviously, they were going to have to wait until Sam's wounds heal. And even after that, it was obvious that the Sam was frail even amongst other Commons. It was going to be a long hard road for the kid.

But Sam didn't seem to mind. Even after Dean told him everything hunting would require of him, he just smiled and said, "I'll do a good job. Promise."

In all honesty, Dean was extremely nervous about the idea of training Sam as a Hunter. While it seemed like the only viable solution to their problem, the more he thought about it, the more he started thinking that it was a bad idea.

As a Common, Sam had none of the natural instincts of a Hunter. On top of that, he wouldn't have a Hunter's strength or natural ability to sense the supernatural. By keeping Sam by his side, he might doom Sam to a world where he'll never fully be integrated.

Dean was also going to have to teach Sam about the Association itself. That was going to be a long and complicated topic. One Dean was _not_ looking forward to.

Two days after they arrived at Athens, they were on the road again. Dean hadn't been given his new assignment yet, so he decided to go deep into one of the forests on the Appalachian Mountains. He made sure to find a place where they were unlikely to encounter any Commons or cougars. Both would be a pain in the ass to deal with.

Since he hadn't be given an assignment yet, he decided this would be a good time to start teaching Sam some fighting techniques. They wouldn't be able to do much because of his injuries, but they would at least be able to get a start on Sam's physical training.

They left the impala in a relatively secluded area and started to march deeper into the forest. Dean wanted to find a clearing near a stream for convenience sake, but didn't want to push Sam too much. About two miles into their hike, it was obvious that it was taking a physical toll on the kid so they took a break for a breather and for water.

Sam guzzled the canteen of water, emptying it in a few seconds. He was panting hard and sweating droplets. He looked up at Dean, who looked as if he could walk another twenty miles before even breaking a sweat. "S-sorry," he said between pants.

"It's no problem," Dean assured. He set their stuff down and sat down next to Sam. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He loved being in the forests, away from Common settlements. In the forests, everything you heard, smelled, and saw was completely natural; not like the polluted, unnatural state that Commons lived in. It was places like this that made Dean feel free.

Sam wiped the sweat off his face as he stared at the trees and foliage around him. Because of the vampires' need for food, Kal had stayed near urban areas most of the time. For the most part, Sam had feared going into the more rural parts because the lack of civilization meant Kal and the others were more free to play with him without drawing attention. While being in the forests reminded Sam of those times, he felt safe with Dean.

He looked over at Dean, who had his eyes closed. He looked complete relaxed, a look of serenity on his face. Sam blinked in surprise. He's never seen Dean with such a look on his face. It made Sam curious. "Whatcha thinkin' about?"

Dean opened his eyes and looked over at Sam, eyes flashing. Dean smiled as Sam watched him with wide eyes. "Nothing much. I just like the forest. Commons are generally noisy and annoying. It's nice to get away from them every now and then."

Sam nodded, looking down at his canteen. While he'd never admit it out loud, Dean's flashing eyes disturbed him a little. In the right light, vampire's eyes flash in a similar manner and the last thing Sam wanted to do was associate Dean with his previous guardians.

Dean frowned when Sam looked down at his canteen. "Something wrong, Sam?"

Sam quickly shook his head. Last thing he wanted to do was to offend Dean. "No, just kind of tired."

Dean nodded. "Well, it's still relatively early in the day. We can rest longer before continuing."

Dean estimated that they arrived at a suitable clearing around five o'clock. He sat Sam on a nearby boulder so he could clean and re-bandage Sam's wounds. His wounds were healing nicely and Dean thought that they'd be mostly healed and scarred over in another five to seven days.

Every time Sam stripped to allow Dean to treat him, Dean always felt a deep sense of sadness wash over him. The scarring really was very extensive, leaving nearly no unmarked skin. Some of the scars even snaked up Sam's neck. His face seemed the most unmarred, but Dean could still make out the faint bite scars on Sam's left cheek and the knotted scar that stretched from his forehead to his left ear.

Dean had no scars. While he has had some serious injuries from various entities, his Hunter metabolism allowed him to heal quickly and without any scarring, so he had no idea what it must be like to carry so many scars and be constantly reminded of the past. Sometimes he found himself ghosting his fingers over Sam's scars sympathetically, as if it would help him understand the mental pain Sam must be going through.

After he finished tending to Sam's wounds, Dean started a fire and heated some of the leftover meat he had. At this point, they were both starving.

Dean still found it too freaking adorable how Sam ate, even though it was sad. He still ate anything Dean gave him with vigor, like an animal finishing off its kill. Little by little, Sam was starting to gain some weight. His ribs weren't as obvious as they used to be and his limbs looked healthier. But he was still way skinner than he should be.

After they were done eating, they cleaned themselves up at the nearby stream. As Sam rinsed off his grease-covered arms, he looked over at Dean and said, "So what're we gonna talk about tonight?"

So far, they had spent every night talking about separate entities. Dean could write a book on each type of entity he's hunted, so it was easy to fill up the evenings with talk of spirits, wendigos, and such.

But not this evening.

"I think we're should talk about something non-supernatural related," Dean said, drying off his arms.

Sam paused in his washing and looked up at Dean with a frown. "Like what?"

Dean threw his towel over to Sam. "Finish washing up then come sit by the fire."

Still frowning, Sam watched Dean retreat back to the fire, more confused than ever. Dean said the Association probably wouldn't accept him unless he was being trained as a Hunter. So wouldn't it make sense to try and learn everything as much as possible?

Sam quickly finished washing his arms and face, drying himself as he walked over to the fire. Tossing the towel to the side, Sam took a seat next to Dean, looking at his face with curiosity. "So what're we gonna talk about?"

That's when Sam noticed Dean had a map on his lap. Dean turned it so it was upright to Sam. "Do you know what this is?"

"It's a map," Sam said. _Duh_ was merely implied.

"Yes, but what is it a map _of_?"

Sam frowned, looking at the map more closely. He focused on the map for a few moments before sitting up and saying, "The Un-it-ed Stay-tes of A-mur-ica."

A lump formed in Dean's throat. "Where did you get that from."

Sam gave Dean an incredulous look, pointing at the map. "It says so right there!"

Dean closed his eyes and sighed. He was afraid of this. Sam was with the vampires long enough that he only had the most basic reading skills and an extremely low amount of any education. He was going to have to teach Sam much more than just hunting. "It's The United States of America."

Sam blinked. "Oh." He blushed a looked away, mumbling yet another apology.

"You need to stop apologizing, Sam." Dean folded the map up and put it away. "You have nothing to apologize for. If you need to apologize for something, I'll let you know. 'Kay."

Sam just nodded, not making eye contact with Dean. He was only slightly embarrassed, but it sure didn't feel good.

Dean placed a reassuring hand on Sam's shoulder. "It's okay, Sam. There's no reason for you to feel ashamed. I'll help you learn how to read and teach you as much as I know. Along with the hunting."

Sam looked up at Dean sheepishly through his bangs. "Isn't that too much, though," he murmured. "You hunting, training, and teaching me?"

Dean shrugged. "Trust me. I wasn't doing anything productive with my free time before I met you. Tonight, let's working on your reading. Tomorrow, I'm going to start teaching you how to use a knife. Sound good?"

Sam's face lit up with a smile. "Mm hm!"

Dean smiled. "Good."

* * *

**Okay, general poll. Should I spend some more time focusing on Dean training Sam, or move on with the plot and action?  
**

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Mkay, so I'm going to go a little more into Sam's training before moving it along the larger storyline :)  
**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Enjoy chapter ten!  
**

* * *

The physical training... the training that dealt with weapons, fighting, and defending... was a lot more difficult for Sam than the educational training. While he could almost instantaneously learn the finer points of Wendigo lore and how to kill one, he was having a lot of trouble just holding a knife.

Dean figured that Sam probably hadn't done much with his body outside of what the vampires wanted him to do, which would explain why Sam was awkward when it came to positioning his body correctly. When fighting, you need absolute control of your body and it was obvious that Sam would need a lot of training before he had even a semblance of that control.

Dean got a message from the Association that afternoon about his next assignment. It was in a small town in northern Virginia; only about an eight hour drive from where they were.

Dean rolled his eyes as he hung up the phone. _For once, I miss the times where there were weeks between assignments._

To Sam's disappointment, they had to pack up and leave that evening. However, while Dean did most of the packing, Sam insisted on practicing his stance and the few simple moves Dean had taught him with the knife.

It was interesting to Dean to watch Sam practice. While Hunter children had to practice as well, their natural sense of balance and control meant mastery of most fighting skills came quickly. When they practice, they usually focused making the styles and techniques of fighting instinctual.

But Sam, being merely a Common, took a different approach to practicing. First, he meticulously made sure his stance was exactly right. Then he slowly went through the moves Dean had demonstrated for him, making sure they were exactly right. He did this over and over again, all with the same slow and exact motions. Dean purposely took a while to pack, giving Sam more time to practice.

"It's time to go, Sam," Dean said as he threw the packs over his shoulder. "I want to get to the impala before the sun sets."

Sam sighed and reluctantly nodded. He ran over to Dean's side and said, "Here," offering Dean his knife back.

Dean took the knife with a smile and slid it into it's sheath, which was attached to his right thigh.

They started back, making sure to take the same path they took in. Dean looked over at Sam and could see his eyes flickering at the knife. The kid really wanted to train. "You can practice some more once we reach Alexandria, okay?"

Sam looked at Dean curiously. "Where's that?"

"It's in Virginia, near the capital."

Sam stared at him blankly.

"It's about an eight hour drive from here. Mind you, you're probably going to want to sleep. You've had a pretty active day and you don't want to push yourself."

Sam shook his head. "I need to learn. Need to push myself."

Dean rolled his eyes. "This is heavy stuff we're getting into, Sam. Hunting is meant for Hunters, and you're a Common. If you push yourself, you could end up permanently injuring yourself. Understand?"

Sam wrapped his arms around himself. "I guess," he mumbled. "Just don' wanna screw this up."

Dean bit his lip. He had no response for that, but it made his insides churn. It was incredible how much Sam has been able to learn in such a short time. Sam should be proud of how much he's been able to accomplish.

Dean placed a hand on Sam's head and ruffled his hair playfully. "You'll do fine, Sam."

Sam gave Dean a skeptical smile and didn't say anything.

* * *

_Sam tied eagle-spread to a rancid bed, wearing nothing but an old pair of boxers. Three sets of teeth had themselves buried in this shoulder, his side, and his thigh. The slow sucking and shifting of teeth were agony for Sam, but he managed to only let out a small whimper, otherwise laying prone for the vampire's use._

_When one finished, it was soon replaced by another vampire. Sam let out another whimper as new teeth ripped into the old wound, but bit his lip to prevent any other traitorous noises._

_Sam didn't know the names of Kal's new pack mates. Isabelle, who was currently at his shoulder, was the only survivor of the last werewolf attack. Besides her, Sam was pretty sure there were seven new recruits._

_And their initiation was always to drink from Kal's 'lamb'._

_Sam was starting to get lightheaded, a migraine beginning to form. His body was beginning to trembling with the loss of blood compounding the pain radiating from the currently occupied bites._

_Sam's attention was directed to the sound of heavy boots walking around him. He looked toward the sound with teary, unfocused eyes and found Kal standing over him. He looked at Sam with a smile. Sam tried to smile back, but he couldn't get his muscles to cooperate._

_Another vampire appeared next to Kal and whispered something in his ear. He nodded his head and said something to the others. Suddenly, all three sets of teeth were ripped out. Sam gasped and trembled in relief._

_The vampire standing next to Kal lifted an iron bar, one end of it glowing with orange heat. Sam's breathing hitched at the sight, but he knew it was for his own good. It would stop the bleeding and cauterize the wounds._

_It still didn't keep Sam from screaming as the burning metal was pressed against his leg._

_Later, after his wounds were all closed and they untied him, Sam lay on the bed in fetal position, trembling uncontrollably. His body practically radiated pain, but Sam took comfort in the pain. There was almost enough for him to bury himself in it and flee from this plane._

_He heard Kal say, "Get him ready to go," and he was roughly grabbed by the arms and dragged off the bed and across the floor. Sam was yanked out of his temporary solace and his wounds pounded with new pain._

_Then he was picked up and dumped into his crate. The wooden box was only four by four by four feet, meaning the vampires had to literally cram Sam in before closing the lid and locking it, leaving Sam in completely darkness._

_Sam tried not to hyperventilate. But he couldn't help it; he always panicked when they put him in this box, no matter how many times they did it._

_He hoped that they weren't going far. If Sam had any 'accidents' while he was in his box, or if he was asleep upon arrival, the consequences were always severe._

_He hoped they weren't going far._

* * *

Sam woke up with a quick intake of breath, but nothing more. He momentarily panicked at the feeling of a moving vehicle, but he quickly remembered where he was and instantly calmed down again.

He was glad he didn't wake up with anything more than a breath. Last thing he wanted was to bother Dean with another one of his nightmares.

Sam rarely awoke from nightmares with screams of fear or panic, but when he did, Dean was always there to comfort him until he calmed down. While Sam absolutely loved it when Dean held him like that, he didn't want to wear out his welcome by needing that sort of comfort from the Hunter too often.

Sam's arms were trembling, but he just wrapped them tightly around his body to try and still them.

It was dark out. Dead of night. Sam was familiar with the different stages of night. He also had excellent night vision, being able to see details in the dimmest of light.

He glanced over at Dean, who seemed mostly focused on driving. His body was relaxed, but his eyes were wide and aware. He didn't seem tired or sleepy at all.

Sam yawned and curled up against the door, trying to fall asleep again. But his memories were fresh on his mind and they kept him from finding any semblance of calm; at least, not enough calm to get him to fall asleep again.

He tried to focus on what he had learned today, mentally going over the physical motions of the moves and techniques Dean showed him. He hoped it would push his memories away, down and out of sight. But Kal and the others remained stubbornly at the surface, his body jerking to phantom pains.

He curled up tighter on himself, trying to get his body under control. Dean had emphasized a need to control his body. If he couldn't control his body at a time like this, how was he supposed to have control during a hunt?

Glancing over at Dean longingly, he wished he could just curl up against the Hunter, envelop himself in that feeling of _safe_ and let the memories melt away. But he couldn't. He _had_ to learn self-control and he had to be able to do it without Dean. That's why it was called _self_-control...

_Kal backhanded him, a spray of blood and spit hitting the adjacent wall._

Sam's head jerked in real life, banging against the window. He quickly grasped his head tightly, trying to prevent it from moving. _I am in control, I am in control, I am in control..._

"Are you okay?"

Sam flinched a little at the question before quickly nodding. "'M Fine."

Dean glanced over worryingly at Sam. For the last several minutes, Dean could hear Sam beginning to hyperventilate and his heart rate accelerate. When he heard the thunk of Sam hitting his head on the window, he knew something was wrong. Sam's denial only increased Dean's worries.

Dean pulled the impala over to the side of the road, grateful that it was the middle of the night. They were on the freeway, but because of the time, traffic was very sparse.

He turned the ignition off and placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Sam, what's wrong? And don't lie to me and say 'nothing'. You're heart is practically pumping itself to death and your shaking badly."

An involuntary whimper came out of Sam. Why couldn't he control himself? Why was he like this? Why can't he just be okay?

And, _dammit_, why is he crying?

Sam removed his hands from his head to press his palms to his eyes. "I... I jus' can'..."

Dean gave Sam's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Take deep breaths, Sam. Slow your breathing down."

Sam made a conscious effort to take one long breath, but his breathing returned to hyperventilation almost immediately.

"That's it..." Dean said, keeping his voice steady and calm. "Take your time. Just take deep breathes."

"I.. I can't..."

"Shh..." Dean wrapped his arms around Sam, tucking him against his side. "Don't talk. Just breath."

Sam's body seemed to immediately calm as Dean pulled him closer. He tried again to take a deep breath and was a little more successful this time. It took some effort, but his breathing gradually slowed down to a normal pace. His headache started to ease and he wasn't feeling so lightheaded.

Dean was glad that Sam was calming down, but the kid was still shaking up a storm. He rubbed his hand up and down Sam's arm comfortingly. "You wanna talk about it?"

Sam gulped. He didn't want to admit his weaknesses to Dean. He didn't want Dean to know the things that had been done to him. He knew that Dean could probably ascertain that information just from seeing his scars, but Sam was just too ashamed to even admit to the past.

He pulled his legs to his chest and curled up against Dean, resting his head just under Dean's chin. He closed his eyes and breathed in the comforting scent. "No... I don' wanna talk about it..."

Dean automatically rested his chin on the top of Sam's head, his other arm coming around to hold Sam protectively. "You sure?"

Sam gave a slight nod. "'M sure."

* * *

They arrived in Alexandria early the next morning. As they approached the area, Dean could sense the supernatural presence and quickly determined that it was a restless spirit. Not that Dean was surprised. A large portion of supernatural incidents were spirits, probably because they are the least likely among supernatural entities to care about discretion.

While Dean was out and about researching the circumstances and nature of the spirit, Sam stayed secure in a motel room. Dean left him with a book of children's stories he had bought at a used book store and the task of reading one of the stories and being able to retell the story to Dean when he got back.

It took Sam about an hour to finish the assigned story. It was about a beautiful statue who befriended a bird. The statue could see far and wide, and when he saw people who were suffering, he'd ask the bird to peel some gold off of him or to remove a jewel to help the suffering people. After the statue was stripped of it's beauty, his friend, the bird, died and left him alone.

Sam frowned as he finished the story. He didn't like it. It left a bad feeling in his gut. After the statue did nothing but try and help people, the only thing he had left was taken away from him. That just seemed unfair.

Shaking his head, he closed the book and pushed it aside. He picked up the knife Dean had left and took up the proper stance in the middle of the room. Then he began to slowly go through the motions Dean had demonstrated to him the day before. As he repeated the moves, he increased his speed, gaining more confidence with each repetition.

Later, he sat back down, sweating and exhausted. However, he had a huge smile on his face. If he kept up this pace, he was sure he could be hunting by Dean's side in no time.

Sam looked down at the knife, admiring the beauty of it. He couldn't believe his luck. Who would have thought that a Hunter would have not only saved him from Kal, but taken him in and train him? Not only that, but Dean seemed to genuinely want Sam by his side.

Tears dripped on the silver blade, marring the reflection, but Sam didn't notice. He curled up around the knife as he sobbed his heart out. He didn't know why he was crying. All he could think about was how grateful and lucky he was, so why was he crying?

It passed quickly. Within minutes, Sam was wiping the residue tears off his face and off the knife. _Well, that was odd..._ he thought.

Not bothering to try and understand his sudden outburst, he took a deep breath, stood up again, and continued to practice.

* * *

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Mkay, so this chapter is a bit short, and I DEEPLY apologize for the delay. I've had the most stressful few weeks of my life. I'm hoping things get better soon.  
**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Enjoy chapter eleven!  
**

* * *

**Three Months Later**

The Hunter and Common had fallen into a routine of sorts. Between hunts, Dean would train Sam physically and teach him the basics of math and English. When Dean was called to a hunt, he would leave Sam behind a series of protections and a pile of 'homework' for him to do while he was gone.

The rate at which Sam was learning seemed to be growing exponentially. After Sam's wounds had fully healed, much needed muscles began to form, helping to accelerate the training process. A month into training, Sam had sufficiently mastered knife fighting and could even go up against Dean without being defeated immediately. Because Sam lacked the natural Hunter speed and strength, he would never be able to overcome Dean or any other Hunter. But Sam clearly had the skills to at least hunt efficiently. Dean had already begun to teach Sam about the various guns they use and how to take care of them. It's only very recently that he actually started to teach Sam how to use them.

The 'bubble' seemed to have gone by. He hadn't been called on a hunt in over three weeks now, which is the usual norm. Dean was glad. He coulds focus on Sam's training. And his mental heath.

As far as Sam's mental progression, they seemed to be at a stand still. Sam refused to talk about it and seemed fine for the most part. He would have the occasional panic attack though, and had formed the habit of crawling into Dean's bed at night when he was having nightmares. It seemed to help the nightmares, but it wasn't helping any of Sam's long-term mental health.

They were deep in the South Dakota forests, training for a while. Dean was teaching Sam some of the techniques to living a rougher life; how to make shelter when in wild, how to make a fire, and how to find food. Sam was doing alright. He handled all the practical skills with relative ease. However, finding food was proving to be a challenge. He didn't have the stealth yet to sneak up on an animal to kill it. Or an accurate enough hand to shoot one.

But it wasn't just that. The first time Dean told Sam he was going to be hunting for animals, Sam had gone pale and looked as though he were going to vomit. Dean had asked Sam if he was okay, but Sam just shrugged him off and prepared to go hunting. However, in the middle of the hunt, he started shaking badly and hyperventilating. Before Dean could say anything, Sam fell limp to the ground, passed out.

It wasn't a big deal for Dean. He just picked Sam and the supplies up and carried them back to camp. On the way, Sam woke back up and immediately started panicking, apologizing for his failure. Dean just held Sam tightly to his chest and quietly reassured him that he did nothing wrong.

Later that night, after eating some dinner and going over some USA geography, Dean decided it was time to start teaching Sam about the Association.

Sam froze at Dean's suggestion. "But... you _never_ talk about the Association."

Dean sighed. "It's kind of a law amongst Hunters that Commons should never know anything about the Association beyond it's existence. That way Commons wouldn't meddle in Hunter affairs. Only the President and the Secretary of the Interior have complete knowledge of the Association."

Sam nodded. "Right. That's what you told me before."

Dean closed his eyes. He was praying to god that he wasn't making a mistake. "You're training to be a Hunter. And you can't be a Hunter without understanding the Association."

Sam pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "So what do I need to understand?"

Dean leaned back against the tree he was sitting under and sighed. "Well, I guess I'll start with its origins."

* * *

_The existence of the supernatural was acknowledge by the government in 1862 under Abraham Lincoln. This was after the spirit of his son, William "Willie" Wallace Lincoln, continued to haunt the Lincoln and his wife until Marcus Campbell put Willie Lincoln's spirit to rest._

_Marcus Campbell was a hunter, but not like today's Hunters. Hunters like today didn't exist back then. He had the physiology of a Common._

* * *

Sam frowned. "What does 'physiology' mean?"

"Umm... a person's physical nature. Like, I would say that my physiology is different from yours in that I'm stronger, faster, and have sharper senses."

Sam nodded. "Okay."

* * *

_President Lincoln demanded Marcus Campbell to explain himself. So he explained the supernatural world to the President; the different creatures and their dangers. It was after this that the president publicized the existence of the supernatural and took certain measures against them._

_He passed a series of Executive orders to start a research and defense program against the entities that threatened the citizens of the United States. At this time, President Lincoln was fighting a war on two fronts. He was fighting against the now-known entities that infected the country and he was fighting the Confederation in an attempt to keep the Union together._

_After President Lincoln was assassinated and the Civil War had ended, President Ulysses S. Grant continued what Lincoln had started. I won't bore you with any of the details, but in 1902, during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency, a breakthrough occurred._

_The governmental program created by Lincoln, which was now simply called the Association, had created the first Hunter. Through blood fusions and some unknown method of breeding, the Association had combined a Common hunter with the supernatural entities which they hunt. Annabell Campbell, Marcus Campbell's granddaughter, was the first Hunter to be created._

* * *

Dean tossed another log into the fire to keep it going. "It was at this point that a new breed of human was born. With our own supernatural abilities, we would be more efficient in hunting down entities and protecting the Common Americans."

Sam just stared into the fire, absorbing the new information. It was a lot to take in. It was a lot to understand.

Finally, he looked up at Dean. "So... you're part supernatural creature?"

Dean nodded. "Basically. That's why we have such strict training and rules. We can be just as dangerous as the things we hunt, so the government has to make sure we're controlled."

"What kinda rules?"

Dean hesitated for a moment before answering. "Well, I already told you about not harming any Common..." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Let's not get into this now. The rules are complicated. Everything about the Association and how it's run is complicated. I would hardly know where to begin."

A jolt of anxiety shot through Sam's chest. "Rivel..." he murmured.

Dean turned to Sam. "What about him?"

"H-he's a Common... and you..." Sam bit his lip. He felt a little traitorous saying this. "You hurt him," he said quietly.

Dean shrugged Sam off. While he, himself, was worried about the possible consequences of his actions against Rivel, he didn't want Sam to worry. "There's a very low chance that the Association will link me to what happened that night. I'll be fine."

Sam continued to stare at Dean with worried eyes. "You sure?"

Dean threw an arm around Sam's shoulders, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "I'm sure, Sam."

* * *

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Okay, so a longer chapter. but WARNING: the italicized parts are a little graphic and suggestive. They're flashbacks from Sam. If you're squeamish, skip over the italicized part. It's not necessary information to move the story forward.  
**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Enjoy chapter twelve!  
**

* * *

_"Sam! It's time for dinner!"_

_Sam looked over at his house. His mother was standing on the stoop, wearing a dirtied apron. He looked up at the sky and noticed that it was almost dark. He turned to his friends and gave them a sideways smile. "I'll see ya guys tomorrow."_

_"Mkay."_

_"See ya later, Sam."_

_Sam jogged back to his house. "What're we having for dinner tonight?" he asked as he hopped onto the stoop._

_"Meatloaf, broccoli, and corn bread. And I expect you to eat every morsel on your plate."_

_Sam wrinkled his face in disgust. That was probably his least favorite dinner EVER. "Is Dad home yet?"_

_"Not yet, but he should be home soon."_

_**WHAM!**_

_Sam found his face buried in raw, bloody meat. He tried to lift his face out, but the hand on his neck kept his face firmly buried. He coughed and sputtered as he tried to breathe, making the vampires laugh._

_"Eat it, meat!"_

_"Eat it, or we'll shove it down your throat!"_

_The hand on his neck released him, and Sam immediately pulled his face out of the dead animal, frantically wiping the blood off his face._

_"Eat it, boy."_

_Sam turned to the cold voice. Kal was sitting back in his chair leisurely, watching Sam in amusement._

_"You can either eat that, or you can eat this," he said smiling as he unzipped his pants._

_The vampires laughed harder and Sam began to tremble. Tears started to roll down his face, but he ignored them as he slowly bent down and buried his teeth into the animal carcass._

_There were whoops and yells as Sam chewed on the raw meat. He started to gag, but managed to swallow anyway._

_**SLAP!**_

_Sam jerked awake. He was naked, his arms and legs tied behind him as he hung in mid-air. He could feel rivulets of blood dripping off of him from the fresh bite wounds he suffered during the night. His backside was really sore, as well. One of the vampires must have fucked him during the night._

_Kal gripped Sam's jaw and forced him to face a body on the other side of the room. It was Edward, one of Kal's friends. But..._

_"He decided he didn't want you as a snack last night," Kal said. "So he went hunting in the town a few miles over. Unfortunately he ran into a Hunter." He released Sam's jaw and slapped him across the face again. "Lucky for you, Edward was far enough away that the Hunter couldn't sense us."_

_Sam's eyes widened as he shook his head frantically. "No... please don't..." he whimpered._

_A high-pitched ring caught Sam's attention. One of the vampires was sharpening a knife._

_Kal smiled. "I guess it's time for another lesson."_

* * *

When Sam woke up, he was trembling and covered in sweat. Wiping the droplets off his face, he immediately crawled out from under his blanket and went up to where Dean was sleeping. Without a word, Sam lifted the covers and tucked himself against Dean's side.

Dean turned over and wrapped an arm around Sam, pulling the trembling figure close. "Another nightmare?"

Sam just nodded, finding it impossible to speak.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

Sam quickly shook his head. It was just like every other time this had happened. Sam would get a nightmare, crawl in with Dean, and he'd ask if Sam wanted to talk about it. The answer was always 'no'.

And just like all the other times, Dean just nodded and held Sam closer. "It's okay, Sam," he said softly. "Nothing's going to hurt you. Not as long as I'm here."

Sam nodded, burying his face into Dean's chest. The overwhelming smell of leather and clovers washed over him, calming him down and reducing his trembling.

Dean stroked Sam's hair a few times, knowing it had a calming effect on him. "Breath, Sam. Just breath."

It was only at that point that Sam realized his breaths had been shallow and short. He forced himself to take a long inhale, holding it in for a moment before releasing it.

Dean smiled, squeezing Sam slightly. "That's good. Just keep breathing. I'm here. You're safe."

Sam closed his eyes and started to relax. Curled up next to the Hunter, warm and protected, he was certain that Dean was right.

* * *

Dean watched as Sam practiced shooting with the .45. It's been five months since they started training and Sam had progressed much faster than Dean anticipated. Sam was proficient with a blade, pistol, and shotgun at this point and was physically fit. He was no longer the thin, weak child Dean had saved over five months ago. Now Sam had well-defined muscles and a healthy body; the result of a much healthier diet and plenty of exercise. In fact, Sam had done so well, Dean was almost certain Sam was ready to help in some of the less challenging hunts.

There was just a couple problems Dean still needed to iron out.

First off, Dean hadn't really told Sam much more about the Association beyond it's origins. Dean was afraid of not only the repercussions of telling such information to a Common, but also of Sam's reaction to such knowledge. Despite having thrown himself at the Hunter training, Sam had such a gentle spirit. Dean feared that Sam might not trust him anymore if he learns more about the Association and what that implies about Hunters.

And, of course, there was the question of Sam's mental health. With the exception of a few panic attacks, Sam was fine during training. And after easing him into it, he was even okay with hunting and cooking animals now (though the smell of blood sometimes made him sick).

But the nightmares Sam had during the night told a whole different story. The fact that Sam refused to talk about his nightmares, his time with Kal, or even the time before Kal was especially worrying to Dean. He had no idea what might trigger Sam. During training, Sam knows he's safe and has Dean there to protect him. But in the uncertainty of a hunt, that safety and protection isn't so certain. And Dean had no idea how Sam would take that kind of pressure.

If Sam wanted to hunt, he would have to start talking to Dean.

* * *

Sam froze in his eating, hoping he heard Dean wrong. "W-what?"

"I said, if you don't start talking to me about Kal, or about your family, or about your nightmares, I'm not going to let you hunt."

Sam's chest tightened as he placed the soup he had been eating down. He wasn't hungry anymore.

Dean leaned forward, hands clasped in front of him. "Sam, I know you don't want to talk about it. But if I don't know what's going on in that head of yours... what's _really_ going on... it could put us both in danger during a hunt. And I promised to protect you." Dean looked at the fire and sighed. "Besides, I think it'll actually be good for you talk about it."

Involuntary tears were starting to form in Sam's eyes. He tries keeping them back, but they pushed forward and started to fall down his face. He could feel himself trembling. "I don' wan' you ta know..."

Dean bit his lip. Sam's speech always regressed when he was upset and he hated that he was the cause of it. But there was a certainty in his mind now, that this is what was best for Sam. "Why, Sam? We've been together for all this time now. I know you trust me, so _why_ don't you want me to know?"

Sam dug his nails into his arms, trying to get himself to calm down. He swallowed hard, trying to swallow the tears back. "Ya'll know..."

Dean scooted over to Sam, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "I'll know what?"

A sob escaped from Sam's throat as he covered his face with his hands and curled into himself. His body shook, sobs starting to rip their way through his lungs. He couldn't tell Dean. He just couldn't. If he did, there was no way Dean would want him anymore. He'd be dropped off at the nearest hospital before he could even blink.

Dean rubbed Sam's back, hoping he wasn't pushing the kid too far over the edge. "You don't have to tell me everything at once. We can start with the easy stuff. Like your parents. What were your parents like?"

Sam coughed a couple times, wiping the tears off his face. His parents... yeah... he could talk about his parents. What little he remembered of them, anyway.

"M' mom... was named Kim," he said slowly. "M' dad was named Jacques."

Once his breathing started to even back out, he sat up straighter, trying to remember more.

"Mom loved to cook. Didn't like her cooking for the most part..." He felt Dean gently squeezing his arm and Sam leaned into Dean in appreciation. This wasn't as hard as he thought it'd be.

"Dad worked a lot. But when he was home, he smiled a lot too. Except when we were camping. Neither my mom or my dad smiled when we were camping." Sam indicated everything around them. "They would have hated this."

Dean smiled wide, rubbing Sam's back. "See? That wasn't so hard."

Sam closed his eyes and nodded. Yeah. Not so hard...

Sam opened his eyes and looked up at Dean who was smiling. Sam managed a small smile. "What about you?"

Dean's smile wavered and his brow furrowed a little in confusion. "What about me?"

Sam shrugged, averting his gaze. "What're your parents like?"

Dean stiffened a little. He didn't really want to talk about his parents, but since Sam made the effort, he supposed he should too. "Well... my mom was an excellent Hunter. One of the best. But she died when I was four. Killed by a demon. I don't really know much beyond that because my father doesn't talk much about her." Dean cleared his throat. "My dad suffered a permanent injury to his spinal chord in the same hunt. Now he only hunts when there's an unusual amount of supernatural activity and the active Hunters can't cover it all."

Sam slowly nodded. It wasn't all that unexpected, given who Dean was, but it was still kind of sad. To have lost his mother when he was four... and to have a father crippled at the same time... Sam wondered how Dean dealt with such a loss at that age. "I was five," Sam murmured.

Dean looked at Sam. "What?"

Sam met Dean's gaze for a moment before looking back at the fire. "I was five when my mom and dad were killed."

Dean smiled sadly and held Sam close. Sam was catching up to Dean in height at this point, but it still wasn't awkward to be close like this. Sam just tucked his head to Dean's chest and Dean would curl around Sam. Dean knew that with what Sam had gone through, the boy was starved for human contact. And Dean was only happy to oblige. He found his own sense of comfort in the interaction. It made him feel needed... and Dean liked feeling needed.

Dean placed a small kiss on Sam's head and held him tightly. "You ready to go to bed?"

Sam shook his head. "Not yet," he whispered.

Dean nodded, getting the message loud and clear. "Alright."

* * *

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Some background. We're slowly heading toward a climax... I think. :/**

**Okay, so I had this chapter ready DAYS ago! But the stupid fanfiction site kept sending me an error message every time I tried to add it. It was very very annoying... However, now that is obviously a problem of the past. So enjoy the chap :D  
**

**Enjoy chapter thirteen!  
**

* * *

They continued training for a few more days before Dean was given his next assignment. It appeared that a restless spirit was wreaking havoc on a small town just a couple hours away from where they were currently camped.

It was perfect. A simple spirit that seemed to be local based. A quick salt-and-burn. It was the absolute ideal first hunt for Sam. In fact, Dean was quite certain that Sam had the full capabilities to conduct the entire hunt on his own.

However, there was still the problem of Sam's state of mind. Dean couldn't let Sam go hunting without knowing a few things first.

He knew how badly Sam wanted to start hunting. In fact, Dean was counting on Sam's desire to prove himself. Maybe Sam would be more forthcoming with his past and more willing to face it if Dean held the hunt in front of him as bait.

Admittingly, Dean felt a little guilty for practically bribing Sam into talking. ut he was almost certain that as soon as Sam started actually talking about it, the dam would break and he would starting talking about _everything_. And the sooner that happened, the sooner Sam would finally start to deal with the past.

Dean, having no sense of tact, clearly laid out his conditions for Sam. He hoped Sam would take the bait, for more reasons than one.

Sam stiffened when Dean mentioned Sam's past. He knew Dean wanted to him to talk about it... But he hadn't really realized that Dean his ability to actually hunt would be affected. Sam thought of everything he had done with the vampires and, for a moment, he had forgotten how to breathe. But then quickly realized he was spiraling down towards having a panic attack, and forced himself to close his eyes... to breathe and relax.

When he tucked his anxiety away into a little box in the corner of his mind, he opened his eyes, looked at Dean, and murmured, "Whadya need to know?"

Dean let out a deep sigh. "Well, I think a good place to start is at the beginning." Seeing Sam's confusion, he clarified. "What happened the first time you met Kal?"

Sam sighed. Of all the things Dean had to ask, why did he have to ask _that_? Swallowing the lump in his throat, he turned to Dean and quietly said, "I promise not ta let it interfere with m' hunting..."

Dean pinched the bridge of his nose. He was the last person to be giving therapy to _anyone_, but in their current circumstances, he really didn't see any other option. "Sam, your ability to hunt is only a _part_ of the reason I want you to talk about it. The other part is that I want you to get better. I want you to stop having nightmares, stop having panic attacks. I mean, it can't be _any _fun having Kal constantly looming over your head, even _months_ after he was killed." He tossed an arm around Sam's shoulders. "I'm almost completely sure that if you talk about it, it'll make things better."

The dead spot in Sam's stomach ached as his anxiety rose. _How will talking about it help? How will re-living it help...?_

Dean could hear Sam's breathing quicken, his heart's increasing rate. Not wanting to push him, but not wanting to discourage Sam from talking, Dean just sat there silently. He gave Sam's arm the occasional comforting squeeze, trying to instill confidence into the boy.

Finally, after ten minutes of silence, Sam began to speak.

* * *

_I was five... so I don't really remember much about my life. Or my parents for that matter. But I do remember the day they were killed as if it happened yesterday._

_Dad had to stay late for work. Mom and I had dinner without him. We were watching TV when the doorbell rang._

_My mom leaned over and kissed my head. "Stay here, sweetie." Then she got up to get the door. I mostly ignored her. I was paying too much attention to what we were watching._

* * *

Sam paused, his breathing starting to hitch.

Dean rubbed his hand up and down Sam's arm. "You're doing good, Sam. Just keep talking, don't even think about it."

Sam closed his eyes and nodded, an involuntary whimper escaping from him.

* * *

_She screamed. I heard growling and sounds of fighting. I was so scared. I just... I just ran. I ran to my room and hid under my bed._

_I don't know how much time passed. But after a while, there was just whoops and yells of excitement. And laughter. Lots of laughter._

_I heard some of them coming up the stairs. I just lay under the bed, completely frozen. I didn't know what to do. I just hoped they wouldn't come into my room. Wouldn't look under the bed._

_Obviously that's not what happened._

_They moved faster than normal people. I could tell that much. They just came into my room and before I even realized it, they had pulled me out from under the bed._

_"Look... dessert," the female chuckled._

_I didn't scream. I just stared wide-eyed at the male in front of me. He was a large... vampire. He wore a leather jacket, which at that moment, was covered in blood. He smiled at me, but it didn't make me feel any better. In fact, I felt more terrified than before. I would eventually find out... that this was Kal._

_"Hmm..." he purred. "And what a tasty looking dessert..." _

* * *

Sam's breathing hitched. "Th-that's... when he started... f-feeding."

Dean nodded. "Yeah... well, he's never going to be feeding on you ever again."

Sam gave a halfhearted smile, his hand unconsciously touching his neck. "It was the worst pain ever... up to that point, anyway."

Dean sighed. He wished that was a sufficient enough explanation. He could see the toll this was taking on Sam. But there was something still nagging him... something important.

"Sam... I realize you might not be able to answer this question. But tell me any information you can think of."

Sam gave Dean a confused look. "What?"

Dean looked down at the ground, feeling guilty for pushing it. "Do you have any idea why Kal didn't just kill you that night?"

Sam stared at the campfire in front of him. _Should I tell him...?_

They sat in silence again. Thankfully, Sam's body seemed to have regulated itself so it was no longer pounding blood as if he was sprinting.

Sam closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm not... _exactly_ sure why. I just remember what happened..."

* * *

_"Kal..."_

_Kal paused in his drinking, then removed his teeth from my neck. I started to sob, mostly in relief. It was painful, but at least his teeth were out of me._

_"What?" Kal said curtly._

_"I... I think you should see this."_

_I was kind of lost in my own world at that point, so I don't remember much. I just remember one of them grabbing my hair and bending my head forward. Then..._

_"Can't be..." Kal whispered. He grabbed my chin and pulled my face up. He stared at me with a look of confusion. After a while, he smiled and laughed. "He must be some trash... Worthless, in-bred piece of garbage." He let go of my face and stood. "Patch him up. I want him."_

_"Want him...? For what?"_

_Kal laughed again. "He's going to be my toy."_

* * *

Dean frowned. That didn't make any sense. What on earth could have changed a vampire's mind like that? Especially since vampires don't keep prisoners for such a length of time. Especially not children.

_Trash... Worthless, in-bred piece of garbage_.

What could have Kal meant? Something about Sam making him lower than most Commons? That didn't make any sense. Dean's been with him for the majority of the last five months. There was nothing to indicate that Sam was any different from other Commons, extenuating circumstances aside.

"Dean?"

Dean looked down at Sam, who was looking at him a little worriedly. Dean smiled. "You did good, Sam. You did really good."

Sam smiled back. "Does that mean I can help you on the hunt?"

Dean chuckled. "Yup, but you gotta make me a promise."

Sam removed himself from Dean's embrace in order to face the Hunter fully. "Whatever it is, I swear I'll do it."

"You don't even know what I was going to say."

"I don't care what it is. I'll do it."

Dean nodded. "Alright. Then you promise to tell me something every night before we go to sleep. _Every_ night. It doesn't have to be something big or long. But he have to tell me _something_."

Sam looked uneasy for a moment, but then quickly pushed it aside and smiled determinedly. "I promise."

* * *

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**OMG it's been AGES since I've updated! I'm soooo sorry! I'm at the end of my senior year and exams are coming up so I've been INSANELY busy x_x**

**I've got a new poll on my profile page in regards to which story I should work on next. Please vote!  
**

**Anyway, This chapter is pretty short, but I'm going to try and have another update within a week. I hope this can hold you over until then  
**

**Enjoy chapter fourteen!  
**

* * *

They arrived at the local of Dean's assignment late the next morning. They checked into a motel and immediately went to work.

First they looked at local newspapers to try and figure out the people or places involved. Dean mainly let Sam do the research. He wanted to see how much Sam could do on his own. If Sam should have trouble figuring a part of the case out, Dean would gently guide Sam to the right track. However, Sam barely needed any guidance, figuring out most the finer points of the case himself.

It was a women in white. In life, Gretchen Halls had a son and a husband named Michael Halls. Michael had cheated on his wife with a co-worker of his and, in a moment of insanity, killed her son and herself. Upon realizing what Gretchen had done, Michael too took his life. Now Gretchen haunts the small town, killing the unfaithful men that cross her path.

Sam not only figured out all of this on his own, he also discovered where she was buried. Dean was excited. More excited than he's been in a long time. Sure, it was a simple, straightforward hunt. But the degree to which Sam was successful on this hunt so far, all on his own, made Dean anticipatory and, strangely enough, _proud_.

Now for the actual hunt.

While Sam was much more fit now, his stamina was still relatively low. So his job was to keep watch for the woman in white while Dean dug her grave.

After they had packed everything they needed and were on their way to the cemetery, Dean pointed out how Sam had yet to tell him something from his past that day. Sam sighed. "Can't we wait until after the hunt?"

Dean gave a mirthless laugh. "After the hunt, you're going to want to collapse in bed. Even if everything goes smoothly. And I'm _not_going to let you wriggle out of this. Even if it's for a hunt."

Sam bit his lip as he thought through everything. What could he tell Dean? What was he ready to tell? Sam was nervous enough about tonight's hunt. The research had gone fine, but now was the real test, and he didn't want to screw it up. The last thing he wanted to think about right now was the past.

Dean glanced over at Sam before returning his eyes to the road. "It doesn't have to be much, remember? Just something..."

Sam nodded. Finally, he just picked some insignificant fact and formed it into a sentence. "Kal didn't belong to any particular pack."

Dean smiled and nodded. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Sam gave a half-hearted smile. He would have preferred not to do it at all.

They pulled into the cemetery parking lot which, to their relief, was empty. Dealing with mourners past midnight was a pain that neither of them needed on Sam's first hunt.

Carrying the necessary supplies, they found Gretchen's grave with ease and quickly began working. Sam slowly walked around the grave with his shotgun at the ready as Dean dug. While it would have taken a Common a good couple of hours to dig out the grave, it only took Dean forty-five minutes. At this point, Sam was no longer surprised by Dean's strength and speed. Nonetheless, it was still amazing to watch.

Dean grabbed his own gun and jumped out of the grave. "Alright, Sam. I'll keep watch while you do the rest."

Sam nodded and put the shotgun down. Grabbing the shovel, he sat down on the edge of the gravel and gently jumped in. A shot of nausea hit him as his feet hit the wooden coffin. He was walking on a person's _coffin_...

Taking a deep breath, Sam slammed the shovel into the wood, breaking it open. The familiar smell of death hit Sam's nostrils as he bent down to pull the planks back. He held his breath and closed his eyes as he slowly worked the planks out and threw them out of the grave.

When he was done, he quickly crawled out of the grave and took a deep breath of the fresh, night air. He waited a moment for the nausea to completely pass before reaching for the kerosene and salt.

Dean tried not to worry too much about how Sam was doing. While he was doing everything he was supposed to, Dean could hear Sam's blood pumping faster than normal and his breathing being slightly erratic. But besides that, he seemed to be holding up just fine, so Dean didn't say or do anything. Sam was almost done, anyway.

Sam poured a liberal amount of both kerosene and salt onto the rotten corpse. His nausea rose again with the intense smell, but he ignored it. Finally, he pulled a packet of matches out of his pocket, lit a match an dropped it into the grave.

The blaze of fire offered momentarily relief for both the Hunter and the Common. Their task was done. And, for his first hunt, Sam performed beautifully.

Dean was about to congratulate Sam when he noticed something... odd. He looked around the graveyard, his gun at the ready.

Sam's smile faded when he saw Dean turning in circles with a frown on his face. "Dean?"

Dean didn't respond, just continued to look around as if something was stalking them.

"Dean..." Worry shot through Sam. "Did I do something wrong?"

Dean looked at Sam blankly. It took a couple moments for him to process what Sam had said. "No! No, not at all. You did perfectly..." He said this as he continue to look around the graveyard.

Sam frowned. "Then what's wrong?"

Dean licked his lips. "Do you remember when I told you that Hunter's can sense supernatural presences?"

Sam slowly nodded. "Yeah... are you saying you can still sense something?"

Dean gave a small laugh. "That's the thing. When we approached the town, I could sense a spirit's presence. But even after you burned the corpse, I could still feel the same presence..."

Sam's eyes widened. "You mean I got the wrong body...?" Involuntary tears burned Sam's eyes. "I screwed up..."

Dean quickly shook his head. "It wasn't you, Sam. I thought we were on the right track as... well..." His sentence petered off as the presence started to change. Dean's eyes widened. "Shit...!"

He grabbed their bag and threw it over his shoulder. "We need to get out of here...! Now!"

Panic gripped Sam's insides. He had never heard Dean say _anything_ with such urgency before. Ignoring the open flames, he grabbed his shotgun and started to run back to the impala.

Dean gripped Sam's tightly as they ran, making sure the Common wouldn't fall behind. _Shitshitshitshit! I should have sensed that something was off! I was too focused on helping Sam get through the hunt that I didn't pay enough attention to my senses!_

They got the the impala, threw the doors open, and both fell instantly unconscious on the asphalt.

* * *

**Oh dear... is that a cliffhanger? How evil of me :D**

**Anyway, I'll try to update again REALLY soon!  
**

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**This chapter is a bit longer. I hope it makes up for the last cliffy!  
**

**I've got a new poll on my profile page in regards to which story I should work on next. Please vote!  
**

**Enjoy chapter fifteen!  
**

* * *

The ping of dripping water echoed through the dark space. The fluctuating sounds of squealing rats would send a chill down any normal person's spine. A cold breeze blew in through an unseens opening and stirred the Hunter awake.

Dean groaned as he gained consciousness. His body felt leaden and his senses seemed muffled. He couldn't hear the details in the sounds like he normally could. As he opened his eyes, the world seemed blurred and unfocused._ Where the hell am I...?_Forcing himself into full consciousness, he looked around at his surroundings.

It looked like an old cellar, mold and slime crawling up the walls. A dull flickering light bulb cast an eerie orange glow on the inside of the room. Two concrete pillars stood on either side of the room. Dean was chained to one, and chained to the other...

Dean nearly jumped in surprise upon seeing Sam there. He momentarily panicked, not being able to hear Sam's breathing or heartbeat. "Sam!" Dean whispered urgently. "_Sam!_"

A small moan calmed Dean of his fears, and it was only at that point that Dean remembered that his senses were somehow being dampened. Even his sense of the supernatural was gone. Even so, Dean was able to feel that _bitch _before he lost consciousness. Or more specifically, that _witch_.

Dean let out a low growl as he hit his head against the concrete pillar he was attached to. Witches were one of the hardest beings to hunt. Mostly because they've learned how to disguise themselves as other supernatural beings. Not only that, but if a Hunter was captured, like Dean, they knew how to effectively make that Hunter a Common; neutralizing all their advanced senses and reducing their strength. Dean could tell just by the feel of the chains that he couldn't break out of them.

This was bad. Most Hunters were able to sense through a witch's trickery and then prepare properly to defeat them. Very few Hunters get captured nowadays, but Dean hadn't been paying enough attention. Otherwise he could have prepared for this. And now their only hope of escape was for the witch to make a mistake, or for someone to rescue them. Neither were very likely.

Sam wasn't ready for this. Hell, if Dean had known it was a witch, he would have locked Sam in a motel room with all the protections he knew of. And now here he was, a witch's captive, with virtually no experience in hunting. It pained Dean to think this, but he hoped Sam's time with Kal prepared him enough to handle their current situation.

Sam gave another moan and shifted in his chains. Dean watched him carefully, recognizing the signs of consciousness. "Sam...?"

Sam's head nodded up groggily. His eyes were half-open, not quite seeing yet. He tried to get up, but the chains kept him firmly in place. He frowned a little as he tugged on the chains harder. His confusion soon turned to panic.

"Wha...? What, no... I-I can't be..." Fear brought Sam into full consciousness.

Dean tried to grab Sam's attention. "Sam! Sam, it's okay!"

Sam didn't seem to hear him. "No, no, no, no! It can't be...!" He started to tremble as he yanked on the chains, his breath quickening. "No! Dean! DEAN!" he screeched.

His shouts doing nothing, Dean quickly looked around, trying to find a way to break Sam out of his panic. Finding nothing available for him, he raised his chained arms as far up as he could, then slammed the chains on the concrete floor.

The loud clang startled Sam, silencing his rant and making him jump. His watery eyes started to focus on the room as he breathed heavily. After a few moments, his gaze fell on Dean and he visible relaxed. "D-Dean...?"

Dean nodded, thankful that Sam was aware. "Yeah. How are you feeling?"

Sam frowned, as if just aware that something might be wrong with him. "Um... I'm a little dizzy... a-and nauseous..." He closed his eyes and swallowed. When he opened them back up they were brimming with tears, but he put on a brave face. "B-but I'm okay."

Dean smiled, glad that Sam was handling the situation relatively well. "Good."

Sam nodded and looked around at their surroundings. There wasn't much light, but there was enough to tell him that the room was empty except for the concrete pillars they were chained to. "What happened?"

Dean grit his teeth. Not only did he royally screw up, now he was going to have to admit it to Sam. "It wasn't a women in white. It was a witch."

Sam frowned. "But... all the deaths pointed to women in white... and... and wouldn't you sense whether or it was a witch?"

Dean sighed in frustration. "That's the thing with witches. They can mask their supernatural energy, making themselves invisible to Hunter's sense or making seem as though they're something else." He closed his eyes, angry with himself. "If I had concentrated harder, I would have been able to sense through her deception. But I was negligent, so now we're here."

Sam slowly nodded, taking a moment to digest all the information. He could feel his panic rising again, but he forced it down. "So... what do we do now?"

Dean bit his lip, making it bleed. "We're going to sit here and wait for whatever happens next."

Sam was hoping Dean would suddenly say _"Just kidding! I have a super, awesome plan to get us out of here!"_. But Dean remained silent.

"But... You're super strong, right? Are the chains really _that_strong?"

Dean let out a humourless laugh. "Usually, I'd be able to break out of these chains in a minute flat. But that witch nullified my Hunter side. I'm effectively a Common." He placed one of his hands on his pocket. _And she took my lock pick._

Sam shivered, suddenly very aware of how cold it was. He tried to think over every possible way of escaping, but he couldn't think of anything plausible. Several minutes of silence passed before Sam quietly said, "What is she going to do with us?"

Dean shrugged. He didn't want Sam to panic, but he didn't want to give him false hope either. "She probably wants to use me in some way. Witches have been known for using different parts of Hunters for various black magics."

Sam trembled, a single tear escaping and falling down his face. The last thing he wanted to do was watch someone slice Dean open. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _Please, God, give us a miracle_.

* * *

When you have nothing but your own heartbeat, it's difficult to judge the passage of time. However, some extended period of time later, the door to the Hunter and Common's prison opened. A woman in her thirties walked in, closing the door behind her. She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, her blond hair tied-up in a high ponytail.

She may have looked like a suburban mom, but even Sam shivered at the sight of her.

She smiled sickly sweet at her captives as she walked across the room and pulled aside a black curtain. Behind the curtain, there was a table covered in various paraphernalia.

Sam started trembling uncontrollably, his chains clinking together. He was scared. He was _terrified_. You'd think, a boy who was captive with a violent vampire for most of his life would be psychologically prepared for something like this. But all Sam wanted to do was vomit. He curled into himself as best he could, trying to hide. It was ridiculous. But it seemed to make him feel better regardless.

Dean glanced over at Sam in sympathy. He was obviously scared out of his mind, but there was nothing Dean could do to help or reassure him.

"How are the two of you feeling," the witch asked as she was setting up her table.

Dean scoffed. "How do you think?" Dean tried to see what she was doing, but her body was in the way.

The witch laughed. "Oh, come on." She turned around to face them, the sick smile still on her face. "Neither of you have injuries and I could have kept you in much worse accommodations."

Dean looked around the room. "You chained us to concrete."

She just continued to smile as she turned back to what she was doing. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this..." She lit a match and started lighting candles. "It's been ten years since my mother was killed by Hunters. Every since then I've been practicing, preparing myself for this." Blowing out the match, she let out a little laugh. "And now I have exactly what I need: a Hunter and a Common.

The witch turned, her expression changing from sickly sweet to maniacally happy. She raised a knife, gliding it against her face seductively. "Shall we get started?"

* * *

**Does that count as a cliffhanger? If it does, I apologize :P  
**

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Well... I apologize for the previous cliffy (not really :D). But, twenty days later, I have an update! And It's longer than the previous updates! (I think)**

**Well, either way, this is kinda a breakthrough chapter. I hope you enjoy!**

**Enjoy chapter sixteen!  
**

* * *

Dean spared a quick glance at Sam. _Shit. I didn't think she'd need Sam for anything..._

The witch picked up an iron bowl and strutted over to Dean, her knife gleaming in the dim light. Dean jerked away as she knelt next to him. "Shh, shh... relax... This will only hurt a bit..."

Compared to most other injuries Dean has received in his lifetime, it didn't hurt at all. All she did was cut open his arm enough to get a steady stream of blood flowing into the bowl. While that might sound pretty bad to a Common, a Hunter is trained to deal with much great pain before they reach 10 years old.

However, Sam, who had watched the witch cut Dean, looked as though he was about to throw up. For the last several months, Dean has practically been Sam's immovable rock. It unnerved the boy more than he would admit to see Dean bleed so easily.

"It's fine, Sam," Dean said quietly. "Really, I've had much, much worse."

Sam nodded, but didn't take his gaze off the blood still trickling down Dean's arm.

The witch now approached Sam, who was now slightly disconnected from the world. He barely spared the witch a glance before turning his sights back on Dean. Somehow, just seeing Dean kept Sam grounded, kept him from completely slipping away.

"And now..." the witch said, "for the blood of the Common."

She made the same incision as she made with Dean. Sam had no reaction whatsoever. Unfortunately, Sam had also experienced much greater pain, so this cut went unnoticed.

The witch smiled as she stood and placed her bowl back on the table. She put her arm over the bowl and sliced it open, allowing the blood to dribbling and mix with the Common and Hunter blood.

"What are you planning to do?" Dean asked. If she needed the blood of a Hunter, Common, _and_ witch, Dean doubted it was anything remotely good.

She chuckled. "It took me decades to devise this spell. It's almost perfect." She raised the bowl and stirred it with her finger. "My plan was to eliminate all of the Hunters in one fell swoop. This spell won't do exactly that, but it'll be the next best thing."

After she finished stirring, she cleaned her finger off with a red polka dot towel. "I'm going to strip all Hunters of their supernatural side, turning them back into the Commons they are."

Dean looked at the witch incredulously. "You can't do that! It's impossible! It's like trying to kill off an entire species of creatures. You practically need the power of a god to pull that off."

The witch just laughed. "We shall see, won't we?" With this, she closed her eyes and began to chant.

"Shit...!" Dean mumbled. He pulled on this restraints, knowing it was pointless. All he managed to accomplish was to embed the shackles into his wrists. He glanced up at Sam, who was still staring at Dean with glazed eyes.

_What if she can pull it off. If I become a Common... what am I supposed to do? What are any of us supposed to do? We can't live as Commons... We're too trained. What'll happen to the Commons? There won't be anyone to protect them. I won't be able to protect Sam..._

The chanting suddenly stopped. The witch opened her eyes and frowned. She looked down at the bowl of blood she was holding.

The tension in Dean's chest was set loose and he relaxed. _Thank god. The spell must not be working_.

"I don't understand..." the witch mumbled.

"Told ya it wouldn't work, bitch," Dean said with a smile.

"Shut up, Hunter," she growled. She tipped the bowl back and forth, making the blood ooze from edge to edge. "I didn't finish the incantation, but I should have felt something by now. Why...?" She dipped her finger in the blood and tasted it. She coughed and retched, her face twisted in a grimace. "Ugh...! It's definitely Hunter blood..."

Her body froze, eyes widening as she realized something. She slowly turned to look at Sam. "You..."

She marched up to Sam, knelt and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her. Sam let out a small cry and his eyes widened as they settled on the witch.

"Hey!" Dean yelled. "Don't touch him, you bitch!"

Her eyes narrowed as she inspected Sam's face. "I sense a Common..." she murmured softly. "You look like a Common..." She placed a hand on the back of his head and forced his head down. Sam's breathing began to sound labored and he was trembling again.

"What the hell are you doing!" Dean spat. "Let go of him, _now..._!"

Ignoring Dean, the witch brushed Sam's hair aside, looking at the back of his neck. All she found was a plethora of scars that continued down his back.

She closed her eyes and sighed, letting Sam go and sitting back. Sam unconsciously looked at Dean, tears falling down his face unnoticed.

The witch nodded. "Alright then. Let's just do this." She placed a hand on Sam's check and muttered, "_Volneratus cura_."

For a moment, Sam stopped breathing. But then, he let out a blood-curdling scream.

"Stop it!" Dean screamed. "Goddammit, you bitch! Stop it!"

"Oh, will you shut up!" she snapped, ignoring Sam's screams. "I'm really doing him a favor!"

Dean was about to spit back another insult when he noticed the changes in Sam's body. It took Dean a moment to realize what was going on, and when he did he still didn't believe it.

The deep scars on his arms and face were _fading_. Small disfigurements in Sam's facial bone structure were correcting themselves. Dean was sure the rest of his scars were also fading. However, because of the nature of that magic, it was causing Sam to relive the infliction of every one of those wounds. And that was unforgivable.

It had only lasted a minute, but it was an enormous relief when it ended. Sam sagged in his bonds, his newly healed body sweating profusely and trembling violently. Tears mingled with sweat as he panted heavily, whimpering occasionally from residual pain.

Satisfied, the witch grabbed the back of Sam's head and pushed it forward. Sam offered no resistance, any strength he had completely gone. The witch inspected Sam's neck for a moment before smiling. "Just as I thought..." She grabbed Sam's face and placed it in front of hers. Sam's eyes were half-mast and unfocused. She gave him one last sickly smile before she dug her nails into his face and racked them across his face. Sam cringed in pain as blood dripped down his face.

"Hey!" Dean yelled angrily.

Before another word was spoken, there was a crashing sound and the witch slumped to the floor, unmoving. A pool of blood created a halo around her head, the red fluid pumping from the bullet hole.

An eerie silence filled the cellar as both Sam and Dean stared at the body in shock. Finally, Dean looked at where the bullet came from and saw a large hole in the door that held them captive.

A couple minutes later, the door was slammed open and two men ran in; one carrying a shotgun, the other holding a rifle.

Dean sighed in relief. "Bobby... Caleb..."

Bobby replied by smacking Dean over the head.

"Ow! What was that for...?"

Bobby rolled his eyes as Caleb went to unlock Dean's shackles. "Maybe it's for letting your guard down and letting a damned _witch_ capture ya!"

Sam watched the exchange with wide eyes, his mind completely blank. The dangerous flash in the man called Bobby's eyes left no mistake... these men were Hunters.

"You know..." Dean said, "It's not like I'm the only Hunter to have ever been taken out by a witch!"

Bobby scoffed. "I know you better than that. You're not only one of the toughest Hunters I know, you're also one of the more skilled."

Dean rolled his eyes. "So I made a mistake. Sue me."

With a final twist, Caleb unlocked the manacles and took them off. Dean brought his arms forward with a sigh, rubbing the quickly healing flesh. His eye sight and hearing were starting to sharpen again, and he didn't feel as leaden down anymore.

Without a word to Bobby or Caleb, Dean stood up and walked toward Sam. He knelt down and broke the shackles off of Sam's wrists. Sam gasped in relief and rubbed his arms to get the feeling back.

As Sam rubbed his arms, he looked cautiously at the other two Hunters, who were giving him looks of slight confusion. Suddenly remembering that he wants to become a Hunter with Dean, Sam quickly forced himself to stand. Last thing he wanted to do was to appear weak.

Dean was a little taken back by Sam's apparent hurriedness. "Sam...?"

Sam's body trembled and his head spun from the sudden rush of blood flow. He swayed, but steadied himself on the concrete pillar. He pressed a palm to his temple. His head was starting to hurt.

Dean stood and placed a steadying hand on Sam's shoulder. "Easy... don't push yourself."

The warm presence of Dean's hand made Sam want to collapse in Dean's arms, but he resisted temptation. Staying close to Dean's warmth, Sam stood straight (although still trembling) and gave the two hunters a determined gaze.

Caleb looked more surprised than anything else. Bobby just looked carefully neutral. He glanced at Dean, who looked like a trainee who had been practicing with bigger guns than he was supposed to. "Dean?"

Dean gave an internal sigh, knowing what was coming. _At least it's Bobby and not a prolocutor._ "Yeah, Bobby?"

Bobby motioned toward Sam. "Care to explain?"

The blood was starting to rush to Sam's head again, and this time he couldn't keep his limbs straight. He moaned and started to collapse, but Dean caught him.

"Didn't I just say not to push yourself..." Dean said with a half-hearted smile.

But then he saw it. As Sam's body slumped over Dean's arms, the boy's head cradled in his hands, his neck was exposed to Dean, save for a few strands of hair.

A black mark, similar to a tattoo, adorned the back of Sam's newly healed neck. It was a Christian cross within a pentagram.

The mark of a Hunter.

* * *

**Hahaha! We're finally entering the meat of the story XD  
**

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Okay... this chapter... well, quite frankly, it sucks. And it's also short. But I wanted to post _something_ up and I haven't had time to really update. I promise the next update will be juicier!**

**Enjoy chapter seventeen!  
**

* * *

_Well... shit_.

Given the circumstances, one would think Dean would have had a more eloquent thought. A witch nearly eradicated the species known as Hunters, and now he had to explain to Bobby and Caleb why a Common was with him.

Except now it was uncertain whether or not Sam _was_ a Common.

No... 'well shit' seemed to sum things up rather nicely.

"Boy?" Bobby said with a little impatience.

Sam straightened up, pushing Dean's supporting arm away and muttering a small "I'm fine". Regaining his equilibrium, he took a step toward Bobby, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground. Holding his hand out, he said, "My name is Sam, sir."

Bobby was more shocked than anything else. Being a Common, this boy should instinctively fear and shrink away from him. While the boy was obviously afraid, it didn't seem to be a result of his Hunter status.

When Bobby didn't take his hand, Sam quickly brought his hand back. He knew how much trouble Dean could get in for taking a Common in, so he wanted to try to deviate the blame toward himself. "I..." He licked his lips. For the life of him, he couldn't think of anything to say that might assuage the man's anger.

Caleb, seeing the very tense scene becoming only tenser, gently grabbed Bobby's arm and said, "Let's get out of here. Dean, we'll meet you at your motel room and you can explain everything there. _Okay?_"

The 'okay' was mostly directed at Bobby, who obviously wanted an immediate explanation. Dean looked only too happy to postpone the discussion.

"Sounds good," Dean said, placing a hand on Sam's shoulder. "First thing I gotta do is find the impala, though."

Caleb rolled his eyes. "Don't worry. We found your baby by the cemetery. It's in the front."

Dean grinned like an idiot. "Oh thank god..." He gently urged Sam forward out of the cellar, wanting to get out for more than one reason.

Bobby and Caleb watched as Dean and the Common left the cellar. When they were out of Dean's earshot, Bobby shoved Caleb's hand off his arm and spun around to face him. "Is there a reason your not letting me kick that idjit's ass?"

"Because you'll kick his ass before letting him tell his side of the story," Caleb stated matter-of-factly. "Dean's not a moron, Bobby. I'm sure he has good reason to take a Common under his wing."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Like what?" Shaking his head, he waved Caleb off. "Look, let's just get back to the motel. The sooner we get there, the sooner I can chew his head off."

Caleb rolled his eyes as he followed the aged Hunter out of the cellar. "This is going to be interesting."

* * *

Dean gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles as he followed Bobby's truck. It took a while for his thought to become coherent. He was still reeling from the shock of discovering the Hunter's mark on Sam's neck.

Sam had said that Kal had decided not to kill him after seeing the back of his neck. Now it was so clear. If Kal had thought that Sam was a Hunter child, he would have had a million reasons to exact painful revenge, using Sam as a surrogate.

But what confused Dean was _why_ Sam had that mark. There was no doubt that Sam was a Common, but why would a Common child have that mark other than they _were_ a Hunter. All Hunter babies are marked at birth with 'special' ink, so that the mark would always remain, and would grow with the child. The marks were sanctioned by the government in order to be sure of who was and wasn't a Hunter. This was, of course, assuming the flashing eyes and general auras weren't enough.

Dean shook his head lightly. This was all starting to hurt his head. Now, not only was Dean going to have to figure out this mystery, he had to explain his actions to Bobby. He was pretty sure that Bobby wouldn't turn him into the Association, but that wouldn't stop Bobby from trying to beat some sense into him.

"D-Dean..."

Still deep in though, Dean gave a curt "Yeah?"

Sam flinched at the tone of Dean's voice. Dean was obviously in a foul mood. His body was as tense as a chord, and his eyes were flashing brighter than usual as they drove down the road.

"Is..." He licked his lips and tried to breathe. His chest, unfortunately, wanted to collapse on itself. "Is there anything... y-you want me to... do... when we get b-back to the motel?"

Hearing the fear in Sam's voice, Dean tried to force himself to relax. The last thing he wanted to do was scare the kid unnecessarily. "Don't do anything. I'll try to sort this all out as best as possible. We're lucky it was Bobby who found us and not someone else. Bobby is a friend of my father's, practically an uncle to me. We should be fine."

Sam nodded and looked out the window, watching the scenery zoom by. Dean was hiding something. Sam could tell. Dean's voice was strained and he sounded distracted. But there was nothing Sam could do but do as he says and hope for the best.

They arrived at the motel room soon after. Bobby and Caleb were standing in front of the door, waiting for them. Caleb looked neutral, but Bobby was obviously not happy. He glared at Dean as he got out of the car. Dean tried to ignore the older man as he went to help Sam, but he could feel those eyes boring into his back.

Sam was still physically drained from the witch's ministrations, but he managed to stumble out of the impala on his own. Dean was right there, though, placing a supporting hand on his back. "I'm fine..." Sam mumbled, though he didn't shrug Dean's hand off.

Bobby couldn't stand it. Huffing, he stepped forward and said, "Will you idjits hurry up and get inside? I swear, the longer I have to wait until I can kick Dean's ass..." He turned around and entered the motel room, followed closely by a hesitant Caleb.

Sam was pretty sure Bobby was trying to sound threatening. _Trying. _And failing. For whatever reason, Sam didn't feel as though the threat was genuine.

Dean just rolled his eyes and gently shoved Sam forward, following the older men into the motel.

After they walked in and closed the door, Bobby huffed and said, "Alright. Obviously, a lot has happened since we last saw each other. So why don't you start with who _he_ is and what he's doing travelling with ya."

* * *

**Yeah... I promise to try and update soon T^T  
**

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Okay, meet (what I like to call) the 'juicy' chapter :P Hope you enjoy! :D**

**Enjoy chapter eighteen!  
**

* * *

"Well..." Dean started, looking hesitantly over at Sam. "Funny you should ask that..."

"Don't beat around the bush, boy," Bobby growled. "Just freaking tell us, okay?"

Dean looked up at the ceiling and sighed. _What the hell. What do I have to lose?_ "This is Sam..." he indicated the boy with a swooping hand motion, "And... I'm training him to be a Hunter."

Bobby kept his sights on Dean as he slightly nodded. "Yeah. And I would blow up at you for being a first-class idjit if I thought it'd knock some sense into ya."

Dean looked at Bobby with a chastised look. "So... You're not going to?"

Bobby shook his head as he turned around and leaned against the wall. "Oh, don't you worry, Winchester. It's brewing."

Caleb looked at Sam, who seemed to be trying very hard to blend into the background. "Look, Dean, we did a fair bit of research before we came and rescued you, so we already knew a Common boy was traveling with you..."

"Though I didn't believe it 'til I saw it," Bobby mumbled.

Dean's stomach dropped. "You mean... the Association _knows_?"

"Of course not," Caleb quickly said. "We're not going to turn one of our own in before knowing all the facts."

"Which brings us to our next point." Bobby turned back around, glaring at Dean. "Why? Why are you dragging this Common around with ya? And for god's sake, _why_are you training him?"

Dean was at a loss for words. His answers to these questions were quite clear in his mind. They were, really, simple questions. But he already knew that his answers wouldn't be adequate in the eyes of his friends or the Association.

So he pulled an answer out of his ass.

"Sam's a Hunter," he blurted.

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Look son, no matter how much you train a Common, there's not way they'll ever be as efficient and effective as a real Hunter..."

"No, I mean Sam's _actually _a Hunter."

Sam finally moved to look up at Dean in confusion. What was he talking about?

Bobby scoffed. "Look..."

Dean ignored Bobby, turning to face Sam. "Sam, you remember how you told me that Kal decided not to kill after he saw the back of your neck?"

Sam frowned, raising his hand unconsciously to rub the back of neck. "Yes...?"

Dean froze as several of the pieces of the puzzle sudden put themselves together. He gently gripped Sam's arms, a small smile forming on his face. "Sam... you're not a Common. You're a Hunter."

To Dean it was a huge revelation. But everyone else in the room was looking at him as if he had lost his mind.

"What are you talking about...?" Sam said quietly, eyes wide.

Dean looked over at Bobby and Caleb, internally wincing at the looks they were giving him. "Guys... he has the mark of a Hunter."

Bobby frowned. What on earth was Dean saying? But when Dean turned Sam around and lifted the boy's hair, he saw it. Caleb took a quick intake of breath, obviously surprised.

"That doesn't make any sense..." Caleb said. "If he was a Hunter, we'd be able to sense him. I mean, look at him! He exudes Commonness!"

"The question is, how do we know it's not a tattoo?" Bobby said quietly, thinking to himself.

Turning Sam back around, Dean gave him a reassuring look. But Sam seemed to be in a little shock. Sighing, Dean said, "Sam was covered in scars. Even the back of his neck looked as though it had been skinned. The witch healed all of his wounds." Turning to face Bobby and Caleb fully, he continued. " She said she needed a Common and a Hunter for her ritual. She took blood from both of us, but it didn't work." Dean looked over at Sam, who seemed to be listening. "She healed all of his scars in order to verify that he wasn't a Common. A tattoo wouldn't have reappeared. That mark did."

There was a minute of silence, everyone in the room slowly absorbing what Dean just said. However, Caleb broke the silence with a hesitant laugh. "But that just doesn't make any sense, I mean..." He stuck his arm out toward Sam with a scoff, silently indicating his skepticism. "No offense to you, kid, but if you _are_a Hunter, you're a piss poor one."

"I'm not..." Sam said quietly, talking directly at Caleb and Bobby for the first time since the whole conversation began. "I'm _not_ a Hunter. My parents were Commons. I-I was raised a Common... there's nothing... _Hunter_ about me at all! I'm just-!"

"Were you adopted?" Bobby asked suddenly.

Sam looked a little surprised at the question. Then a little indignant. "Yes... But my birth parents were Commons, too! Well... at least, I think they were..."

Bobby nodded, face neutral. "Caleb, why don't you take Sam to get some food. I'm sure he's hungry after his captivity."

Caleb gave Bobby a questioning look, but didn't say anything. "C'mon, Sam."

Sam started to panic. "I'm not hungry! I wanna stay here!"

Dean narrowed his eyes at Bobby. Bobby obviously wanted to talk to him about something, and didn't want to say it in front of Sam. So, turning to Sam, Dean put on a smile and said, "Go on. You gotta make sure to get me some food, too."

Sam looked desperately at Dean. "Dean..."

Dean placed an arm on Sam's shoulder. "Don't worry. You can trust Caleb. He's practically my older brother, so while he may annoy the shit out of you, he'll protect you."

Caleb rolled his eyes. "C'mon, runt. Papa Singer obviously wants to have a few words with Baby Winchester."

Sam gave Dean one last mournful look. He didn't want to leave Dean's side, but he also trusted Dean's word. If Dean wanted Sam to leave for a little bit, then it was probably best that he did. But he didn't have to be happy about it.

* * *

Once he heard the truck leave the parking lot, Bobby sat down on one of the beds, removing his trucker hat with a sigh. "I think I know what the deal is with that boy."

Dean nodded, not surprised to hear Bobby say this. He was, after all, the king researcher. "So what Sam's 'deal'? Why does he have a Hunter's mark but no Hunter traits?"

Bobby gave a bitter smile. "He's one of the duds."

Dean blinked, not sure he heard him right. "'Duds'? What do you mean?"

Bobby scratched his head. "The Hunter species isn't perfect by any means. Like Commons, some traits present themselves stronger in certain individuals. Kinda like _your_ ability to sense the supernatural. Because we're a relatively new species, the degree of potency for these traits is a bit extreme." He replaced his hat, sitting up straighter. "Now, it's rare... but occasionally the Hunter lines will breed what most prolocutors call a 'dud'. That is, a Hunter who's Hunter traits are _mostly_ recessive. Sam is especially rare in that he seems to be completely recessive."

"So Sam was born to Hunters," Dean said slowly, processing the information. "But all he had was the mark, which is etched into our DNA." Dean gave Bobby a wary look. "So... the Association just puts these 'duds' in the Common adoption system?"

Bobby cringed. "Well... no. The Association has a law stating that all Hunter children that meet that classification be immediately destroyed so not to further dilute the Hunter line."

Dean's stomach clenched at the thought, but quickly pushed it to the side. "So how is Sam even alive? How did fall through the cracks of the system?"

Bobby shook his head. "That's what I'd like to know."

* * *

**Well, there you go. A (partial) explanation :D  
**

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I read recently. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**OMG. Has it really been THAT long since I've updated? **

**0_0 I'm SOOOO SORRY! Gah! **

**Obviously, I've really busy. Not only did I start college, but I've been in and out of the hospital for symptoms no one has been able to explain. I PROMISE, I will try and update with more frequency!**

**That being said...  
**

**Enjoy chapter nineteen!**

* * *

Caleb drove through a fast-food joint, getting enough food for all four of them. Then he just drove around for a bit, knowing Bobby ushered them out so he could talk to Dean.

Sam hadn't said a single word since they left. He just sat next to Caleb, hands on his knees, head bowed down. He would occasionally spare a glance at Caleb, but would quickly turn away if Caleb looked back. Finally, after about fifteen minutes of semi-awkward silence...

"Is Dean in trouble?" Sam muttered quietly, hands clenching his jeans.

Caleb shook his head. "Not with Bobby, anyway. I mean, the old coot might smack Winchester over the head for being a dumbass, but no, Dean's not in any trouble with Bobby."

"What about the Association? What about me?" Sam asked more earnestly.

Caleb sighed. "I don't know. But I'm sure Bobby will think of something to do. He's the big thinker among our kind."

Sam just shook his head, tucking his chin in. He just wanted things to be back to before. Back to Dean training him in the mountains. Those had to have been the best weeks of Sam's life. And now the chances of him and Dean going back to that life were close to nil.

"We'll get this all sorted out," Caleb went on to say. "We just need to get our facts straight before moving forward."

"Like me," Sam mumbled.

Caleb frowned. "What was that?"

Sam shook his head jerkily, biting his bottom lip. "How... am I Hunter?" he said more to himself than Caleb. "Never been anythin' 'special' 'bout me... Not worth anythin'..."

Caleb frowned at the sudden change in Sam's voice. It was almost as if it was reverting to a younger, more childish dialect. "We'll figure this out, Sam. Between Bobby's books and Dean's stubborn nature, we'll get answers."

Sam just nodded, not really hearing Caleb's reassurances.

* * *

Dean looked up as the motel door opened and Caleb and Sam walked in. Sam made a beeline to the bed that Dean was sitting on, giving Dean a wide-eyed look before sitting down next to him. Dean looked at Caleb, who merely shrugged and put the food on the table. "So what's the plan?" Caleb asked as he pulled out the burgers and tossed them to the other Hunters.

"The plan is for me to do some research," Bobby said, unwrapping his burger. "You're gonna stay here and make sure this idjit Winchester and his boy don't do anything stupid. Dean can fill you in on the details later." Without another word, Bobby bit into his burger and promptly left the motel room, the sound of a truck engine falling into the distance soon followed.

Caleb looked honestly dumbstruck. "That was a bit abrupt."

Dean rubbed the back of his neck."Yeah, well this is kinda a... um... _emergency _situation."

Caleb gave Dean a questioning look. "I mean, I can understand the need to make sure the Association doesn't commit you to Reclamation for this..."

Dean shivered at the mention of it, but quickly shoved those feelings aside. "It's not that simple. Sam isn't just any Common..."

"Right, he's a Hunter," Caleb said, half jeering. "And _how_does that work again?"

Dean hesitated for a moment. He looked over at Sam, but Sam didn't seem to be even listening. He was just sitting there, hands on his legs, back straight, staring a hole into the floor. His burger lay beside him, practically untouched.

Dean swallowed, returning his gaze to Caleb. "Bobby said... that Sam is one of the few Hunters who are born without any Hunter abilities. But he also said that these babies are usually disposed of immediately."

Caleb's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, I know about that." His eyes swiveled to Sam for a moment. "I honestly can't imagine how Sam managed to escape that fate..."

"That's what Bobby's trying to figure out." Dean sighed. "First thing we gotta do is figure out who Sam _really _is. After that... well, Bobby said we'll figure things out from there." That being said, Dean started to unwrap his burger and slowly started to eat.

Caleb shook his head. "Unbelievable..." he murmured.

Dean frowned at him. "What?"

"Nothing," Caleb sighed. He finished off his burger and threw the trash away. "I need to get some air, I'll be back."

Dean gave Caleb a look of confusion as he left. _What was that about?_Figuring he was grouchy about 'babysitting' him, Dean turned his attention to Sam, who hadn't moved a muscle. Giving him a gentle nudge, he said, "Why don't you eat?"

Sam shook his head. "Not hungry," he murmured.

Dean sighed, not at all surprised by Sam's sudden submissiveness. "Everything's going to be okay, Sam. We'll figure this out. Bobby's the best, so if there's answers, he'll find them."

Sam merely nodded, swallowing a little in trepidation. He clenched and unclenched his fists compulsively, anxiety slowly building up in his stomach. His thoughts were plagued by words like _dud_, _worthless, plaything, dispose of_... words from the past and present, all haunting him, all revolving around one fact.

He was a freak. Belonging to neither the Common world or the Hunter one. While he had no idea why, he always knew he was... _different _than the other Common children. Being constantly bullied was one thing. That wasn't unusual for children in general. But other children would beat him on a daily basis. Everyone hated him. The other kids, his teachers, everyone. No matter how many times he came into the nurses office with a bloody nose, broken fingers, or even a broken arm, no one ever tried to help him.

Sam used to think his parents cared. That they loved and cared about him. But thinking back on it now, he realized they were actors. They took him to movies, took him camping, did all the things parents would do... but they never said they loved him. Never paid any attention to the bruises or broken bones except to get his bones reset and casted. Sam laughed to himself bitterly. Even the doctors paid no attention to the signs of abuse. Did their job and sent him on his way with his parents.

At the time, Sam thought nothing of it. It was simply life for him. When his parents were killed and Kal took him in as his pet, Sam honestly grieved for his parents. And soon Sam got used to his _new_life. A life of pain, abuse, and fear. These became his new constants, his new 'normal'. And even living with Dean, training with him all these months, he still hasn't been able to re-adjust himself from the Kal way of life to life with Dean. He goes through the motions... training and talking to Dean... but Sam still feels like the vampire boy toy.

Now, after everything, Sam learns why everyone seems to hate and ostracize him. And also learns that he should have been _disposed of_at birth.

Makes sense, if you think about it. Sam, unable to fit in anywhere because he wasn't supposed to exist in the first place.

"Sam..."

Sam jumped a little, completely forgetting Dean was sitting right next to him.

Dean looked at Sam worriedly. "Sam, what's wrong?"

Not wanting to anger or upset Dean, Sam just shook his head, keeping his eyes glued on the floor.

Dean wanted to laugh at the pure contrast of it. Sam was stiff as a board, his heart rate was erratic, tears were slowly falling down his... and he shook his head no as if it was nothing.

Rolling his eyes, Dean wrapped an arm around Sam's shoulders, pulling him into his side. Sam's body remained stiff, even seemingly trying to resist falling against Dean's side. Dean rubbed his hand up and down Sam's arm, trying to get him to relax. "Come on, Sam... relax..."

Sam didn't want to relax. He didn't want Dean to comfort him. He didn't even _deserve_ his comfort. He didn't deserve anything. Because he was nothing. Worthless, spineless, dirty, little _freak._

Suddenly, without warning or intention, Sam started to sob. He screwed his eyes shut and covered his face with his hands as he cried out. Some sort of non-physical pain was ripping through him, but for the life of him he didn't know what it _was_. All he knew was the he deserved everything Kal did to him, if not more. And realizing this, also made him realize just how much he _didn't _deserve _Dean_.

Dean was completely at a loss. Usually Sam would seek out Dean's comfort, especially when he was upset. More than once, Sam had practically crawled into Dean's lap, craving human contact. Now Sam was _resisting_ the contact, instead choosing to curl into himself and sob like he never has before. Honestly, in all the months they've been together, Dean has _never_ seen Sam sob like this. The heart wrenching cries that this boy was emitting shot something painful through Dean's chest.

Clueless as to what was happening, or what to do, Dean simply sat there, letting Sam cry. And hoping... _hoping..._ that Sam would be okay.

* * *

**Soo... definitely more juicy plot bunnies to come :D  
**

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I used to read. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest. **

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

_Okay, doc manager is screwing with the formatting -_-_

_ This chapter is longer than usual (for me at least) and without much of a delay :D (Don't expect regular updates like this. I'm currently on sick leave from school, hence the extra time I have.)_

_** WARNING**: The italics is one of Sam's flashbacks. It contains sexual violence and is pretty graphic. DON'T READ IF YOU'RE SQUEAMISH_

_Enjoy chapter twenty!_

* * *

Caleb was leaning against the side of the motel, cigarette balanced precariously between his lips. A couple walking by gave him a strange look. "Are you alright?" the woman asked hesitantly. "You look troubled?"

Caleb's eyes swiveled toward the woman, pupils flashing in the twilight. The woman visibly gulped as she muttered a 'never mind' and was whisked away by the man accompanying her.

The Hunter chuckled. "Commons..." he muttered. He took a long draft of his cigarette, finishing it off, before tossing the bud and grabbing another. "This is such bullshit," he cursed, digging his pockets for his lighter. "Of all the fucking babies..."

After lighting his new smoke, he closed his eyes and did a quick recon of the area. Not that it was necessary. Dean would sense anything long before he would. Still, the sense that there were no entities nearby reassured him.

He was already starting to get antsy. Caleb knew that keeping Dean from doing anything stupid was going to be a full time job, especially without Bobby there. Dean respected Bobby, saw him as an uncle. Most Hunters in their generation did. But Caleb was just a peer to Dean, and while Dean trusted Caleb as a friend and fellow Hunter, he was much less likely to listen to Caleb when the going got tough.

And then there was Sam. It was obvious that he was just a victim in all of this. A victim to circumstance and the system that is the Association. When he and Bobby were investigating the suspicious death of some Common known as 'Rivel', they also stumbled upon a file for a boy in his early teens who had been captive to vampires for an extended period. This was not only the only patient not accounted for, but this boy's room was where the body of 'Rivel' was found.

It didn't take long for Bobby to put the pieces together after that. With the witness accounts of a 'scary man' with 'flashing, inhuman eyes', and with the way in which 'Rivel' was murdered, it was obvious that a Hunter had been involved. Bobby traced the boy back to a small town... where Dean's last assignment had been.

Now, had this been any other Hunter, Bobby would have turned that person in, no questions asked. If a Hunter kills a Common, then that Hunter _needs_ Reclamation for the sake of the general populace. But Bobby had a soft spot for Dean. After Dean's mother died and his father was injured, Bobby helped raised the boy and probably saw him as a son. That being said, Bobby was _sure_ that Dean must have had a good reason for killing 'Rivel'. A good reason involving the missing patient.

This, of course, didn't stop Bobby from being pissed when Dean confirmed his suspicions.

And rightfully so. Taking in a Common was just stupid. A Hunter can't really provide for a Common's needs, especially when gallivanting across the country.

This should have been straight forward. Convince Dean that leaving the Common behind was the best for _both _of them and move on with their lives.

The fact that Sam is a Hunter 'dud' complicated things. He bares the mark, so if he were to be unceremoniously dumped into the Common world, no doubt he'd be treated as an outcast. They couldn't do that to him. It'd be cruel. However, they can't simply accept him into the Hunter community. The Association will no doubt try and kill Sam first chance they get.

So... what were they supposed to do?

Caleb chuckled bitterly as he tossed the remainder of his cigarette into the street. "That's for Bobby to figure out."

* * *

Dean sighed as he carefully placed Sam on the bed, pulling the covers over him. While crying, Sam ended up curled on the floor, eventually falling to sleep. Dean tried to put an arm around him a couple of times, but Sam pulled away with each attempt.

The motel door opened, followed by an onslaught of smoke that any Common would easily smell. Dean wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I thought you gave that habit up. You know it makes you easier to track."

Caleb shrugged. "Only smoke when I'm particularly stressed. This, right now... is stress."

Dean couldn't argue with him there. "Of course, the last thing you want to become, when you're stressed, is an easier target."

"Yeah, whatever." Caleb pulled his .45 out and set it on the table. "Kid's sleeping?"

Dean nodded. "He's stressed too," he noted sardonically.

"So what's with this kid?" Caleb asked. "I'm assuming you met him when you went after those vampires."

Dean walked over to the fridge and pulled out a beer, ignoring Caleb's question.

Caleb scoffed. "You rescued the kid, then... what happened? Why didn't you leave him in that town?"

Dean flicked off the bottle cap with his thumb and leaned against the fridge. "I did. Problem was, the town didn't like him. Kicked him out first chance they got. I found him later on the side of the road, beaten to hell. Those people didn't even have the courtesy to wash off the vampire's blood."

Caleb slowly nodded, pieces of the puzzle falling into place. "So you decided to drop him off at the nearest hospital."

Dean scoffed. "Yeah. And when the hospital got attacked, hours later, I found him tied up and being raped by some low life."

"Kyle Rivel."

Dean raised an eyebrow.

"Bobby and I were sent to investigate his death. A little suspicious, considering the crater-like holes found in his chest. As if someone with supernatural strength had punched him to death."

Dean didn't say anything, just took long droughts of his beer.

"Let's sail right past the part where I tell you that skirmishes between Commons are nowhere _near_ our jurisdiction, and skip straight to the part where you tell me _why_ you thought it was a good idea to raise and train a _Common_."

"He's not a Common," Dean growled. "He was born a Hunter."

"But you didn't know that at the time, did you? I know that because I read the hospital reports, and I know that there were too many scars to be able to see any natural markings. So why?"

Dean bit his lip. He knew there was no _good_ answer. There wasn't _any_ answer he could give that Caleb, or the Association, would accept.

Caleb seemed to already know this, and simply nodded at Dean's silence. "Whatever. Doesn't matter. Nothing for us to do now, but wait for Bobby and hope neither of us gets called onto a job."

Dean's eyes widened. "Shit. I didn't think about that."

Caleb gave a strained smile. "Yup. Can't refuse a hunt, but it'd be dangerous for either of us to be hunting with things as they are."

Dean frowned. "How are you in any danger?"

"Um... how about the fact that Bobby and I should have turned you in the _moment _we knew you were the one to kill Rivel. We destroyed documents and falsified our report for your sorry ass."

"Right..." Dean finished off his beer and tossed it into the trash. "Thanks for that, by the way."

Caleb scoffed. "Thank Bobby. He's the one sticking his neck out for you."

Dean nodded as he went to sit on the unoccupied bed. "Look, I'm going to try and get some shut eye. You should get a shower and then get some rest, too."

Caleb rolled his eyes. "I'll only shower because _you_ paid for this room."

Dean smiled. "Thanks. I was about to suffocate from second-hand smoke..." He laughed as Caleb threw a towel at him.

"Fine. But you better not drink when you're holed up in _my_ room."

Dean nodded, remembering Caleb's aversion to alcohol. "Deal."

* * *

_Kal laid leisurely on his back, Sam's head bobbing up and down on his cock. Kal had a hand on the back of the boy's head so he could more easily push himself into Sam's throat._

_Tears were streaming down Sam's face as he sucked on Kal, not being allowed any reprieve. His vision blackened from the lack of oxygen, but knew better than to allow himself to pass out. It would be so much worse if he didn't stay conscious..._

_Kal was alone. He wasn't traveling with anybody but Sam. Didn't have to share his pet. Sam hoped Kal would find new buddies soon. For whatever reason, Kal only raped him when he was traveling alone. And while being tortured by vampires wasn't fun by any means, it was better than being alone with Kal._

_Suddenly, Kal pulled Sam off, smiling when Sam gasped for air. "I'm so glad I've kept you alive," Kal sneered. "It's like exacting revenge over and over again." Without further delay, he stood and dragged Sam over to a table. He bent Sam over and kicked his legs apart, squeezing Sam's sack with his other hand, making him whimper in pain. "It's like making the Association my bitch," he whispered into Sam's ear. Aligning himself with Sam's entrance, he breathed into Sam's ear, "Just remember, you deserve this."_

* * *

Sam gasped awake, body jerking at the phantom rape. He immediately stilled, hoping Dean didn't hear or notice. He knew that Dean would still be able to hear him hyperventilating through his nose, but still hoped that Dean was in a deep enough sleep not to hear.

After a few moments of silence, he relaxed, exhaling through his mouth. He pulled the covers tighter around him, curling into a small ball. He was still shivering from the remnants of his dream.

So much of what Kal said and did made more sense now. The torture, the rapes, the constant feedings... it was because Sam was born a Hunter. Kal saw the mark, and decided to keep Sam as a way to punish the Association and Hunters. Sam briefly wondered if Hunters had killed some people close to Kal, and that's why he hated the Association so much.

He suddenly became very aware of the fact he need to relieve himself. Resigning himself to the fact that he was going to wake Dean up, he jerkily tossed the covers back and sat up. When he looked over to where Dean was sleeping, he froze.

The room was _empty_. Not just of occupants. The bed, the table, the refrigerator, everything... was _gone_.

Sam's stomach clenched, his fear starting to sky rocket. _What the hell is going on?_"D-Dean...?" he muttered hopefully.

"What is it _now?"_

Sam's head jerked to where the voice came from. Someone was standing in the shadows. He tried to see who was there, but despite his good night vision, he couldn't see the person's face.

"Who...?" Sam swallowed, his words getting stuck in his throat. "Who... 're y-you...?"

The person laughed. It was deep, making the room vibrate. Sam could feel it resonate in his chest.

"See, I actually take offense to that." The figure stepped forward, but his face was still obscured. "I would think that after _everything_... you would at least remember who I am."

Sam shivered uncontrollably. This person's voice was oily and distorted. It made Sam want to claw his eardrums out. Instead, Sam kept his nails embedded in his arms, already started to draw blood.

In the blink of an eye, the figure was right in front of him, looming over him. Sam gasped and jumped back against the headboard.

The figure bent down until its dark, faceless head was level with Sam's. "Listen up, you worthless _whore_. Too much time and too much energy has been spent on trying to save you. I'm actually starting the think Kal had the right idea. Might as well play with the trash before throwing it away."

The words stung, closing Sam's throat up and squeezing his lungs tight. He already knew all of this, but it still hurt to hear someone confirm it all to his face.

"But, you see, I'm tired. Tired of dragging your ass around, trying to get _you _to grow a pair. Kal's had his fun. And I certainly hope you learned your lesson."

Faster than the lightning, the figure had a hand on Sam's throat, pinning him against the headboard.

"Did you learn your lesson, Sam?"

Tears streaming down his face, Sam nodded. The hand tightened around his throat, and Sam threw his hands up by instinct. He clawed uselessly at the figure, trying to get him to relieve the pressure.

But to Sam's horror, the darkness started to lift on the figure's face. And as the figure spoke, the distortion started to fade.

"Well then,_ Sammy._ I guess that means you won't mind if I take your pathetic little life away... now won't you, _trash_?"

As the darkness started to encroach Sam's vision, the last thing he saw was a pair of emerald green eyes, staring at him in utter disgust.

* * *

"Sam! _Sam!_ Goddammit, wake up!" Dean growled.

A few minutes ago, Dean was awakened by the sound of panicked whimpers coming from the other bed. He got up to find Sam tightly held in the throes of some nightmare. And has, so far, been unsuccessful in waking him up.

Suddenly, Sam's eyes snapped open. He made some sort of ruined sound as his mouth opened in a silent scream.

"Jesus _Christ_, Sam! Are you okay?"

Sam didn't respond, instead, flinging himself at Dean, wrapping his skinny arms around Dean's neck and burying his face into the older man's shoulder.

Dean immediately wrapped his arms around the trembling boy, too shocked to really do anything else. It took a moment for Dean to register Sam's panicked mumbles in between his sobs.

"'M sorry, 'm sorry! Promise ta try harder, won' get in da way, 'm sorry, jus' please... _please...!"_

Dean held Sam tighter, slowly rubbing his back. He felt as though all the work done these last few months had just been unraveled. Sam was clinging to him desperately, fists twisted into the back of Dean's shirt. With Sam's sobs interspersed with panicked apologies, it made Dean wonder what exactly that bastard Kal did to the boy to damage him like this.

Sam was beyond blind panic. Images of Dean's expression of disgust flashed before him, his words branded in his brain. Sam wanted to prove Dean wrong, prove he was worthy. But at the moment, all Sam could think to do is to apologize for himself, for his existence. Apologize, and hope Dean would find some iota of mercy in him and allow Sam to stay with him.

After several minutes, Sam started to calm down. His sobs became small hiccups and his panicked mumblings became the occasional soft apology.

"It's okay," Dean murmured. "You didn't do anything wrong, Sam."

Sam just shook his head and muttered another 'sorry'.

As exhaustion started to take over, Sam started to go lax. He let go of his grip on Dean's shirt, and slowly turned his head over so he could rest it on Dean's shoulder. The warmth of the embrace and comforting smell of leather and clovers slowly penetrated into Sam's mind, making him feel safe. As he curled into Dean's embrace, Sam felt guilty and pathetic for using him like this and muttered yet another apology, tears silently falling down his face in shame.

"Stop apologizing," Dean said softly, but sternly. "You have done _nothing_ wrong. Okay?"

Sam didn't respond. Instead, he curled deeper into Dean's chest and he closed his eyes, hoping Dean wouldn't hate him any more for this than he already did.

* * *

**Man, do I have some eeevill ideas coming up :D  
**

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: Hahahahahaha, oh, if only, if only...**

**This story is COMPLETELY AU. It's actually based off a manga I used to read. Sam and Dean are not related. This is NOT wincest.**

**Dean is 20, Sam is 14**

**Hey, Guys! I'm actually not sure how this is going to look/turn out since the Fanfiction editing apparatus seems to be acting funny.**

**Anyway, I am SO SORRY! I am completely determined to finish all my stories, it's just going to take a while. College pretty much fills my life. Along with some health issues. **

**Anyway, here's the next update for Hunter's Common. It's not much, but it's build up for what's going to happen next :)**

* * *

Caleb was doing some research, hoping to find something that would help them decipher Sam. He didn't really expect to actually find something useful, but it was something to occupy the time with while he's babysitting.

Sam was still asleep when Dean woke up and left to get "breakfast". Caleb knew that Dean just wanted some alone time to think to himself, but he still couldn't help but roll his eyes when Dean practically ordered him to keep an eye on Sam.

_"You better give Jill some attention while you're out!"_

Dean looked at him in confusion. Caleb simply responded by waving his right hand suggestively and laughed when Dean flipped him off.

Snapping his computer shut in frustration, Caleb shoved the laptop across the table, leaning back in his chair with a sigh. It's only been a day but he was already going crazy from cabin fever. Hunters were not meant to be in one place in one room for long.

A sudden change in breathing was all Caleb needed to hear to know that their boy of mystery was waking up. After a few minutes, when Caleb was sure he was fully awake, he turned to the boy and said, "Sleep well?"

Sam flinched in surprise, having completely forgot about the other Hunter. Swallowing nervously, he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He stared at the wall for a moment, making sure he was going to stay composed.

"That was quite the show last night," Caleb went on to say. "You feeling better now?"

Sam closed his eyes shamefully. It was bad enough _Dean_ saw him like that, but now a Hunter whom he barely knew saw him at his weakest. "'M fine," he mumbled, knowing Caleb would hear him just fine. He looked around the room to find Dean, but he didn't seem to be in the room. He looked towards the bathroom, but the door was wide open and the room empty.

"Dean went to get some morning grub," Caleb said. "He'll be back in a bit."

Sam simply nodded slowly in response. Heaving a deep sigh, Sam got off the bed and headed towards the bathroom.

Caleb shook his head in amusement as Sam practically slammed the bathroom door behind him. "Kid's interesting, I'll give him that," he mumbled. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and was about to light one up when he remembered his deal with Dean. Sighing in annoyance, he stood up and left the motel room, certain Sam would be fine without him for a few minutes.

* * *

The impala rolled into the motel parking lot, the low rumble of the engine and of the classical rock belting from its speakers shaking most of the rooms. Dean pulled his baby into the space in front of their room, sighing when he saw Caleb smoking next to the door.

Grabbing the bags of food he bought, he got out of the impala and gave a Caleb a disparaging look. "Really? I was gone maybe twenty minutes."

Caleb shrugged, tossing what was left of his cigarette and grounding it into the concrete. "Little man's awake. A bit jumpy, not that I blame him."

Dean's expression softened at the mention of Sam. He looked at the motel windows, as if he could see right through the curtains. After the previous night, Dean felt more at loss than before. Especially when it came to how to help Sam. Not only did he have to figure out a way to heal Sam mentally, he had to make sure to protect him and himself from the Association.

And he didn't have the slightest idea what to do next, let alone what path they should take for the future.

"You just gonna stand there or are we gonna go inside and eat?" Caleb asked impatiently. Without another word or glance to Dean, he went back into the motel room.

Dean, broken out of his thoughtful trance, followed quickly behind him.

The motel room was empty, and for a panicky moment, Dean thought Sam had run away. But his senses soon caught up with his brain, and he could hear soft sniffles coming from the bathroom.

"He's pretty much been in there since he got up," Caleb said quietly. "I'm sure he just needs some time to himself."

Dean sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm in way over my head..."

Caleb scoffed. "No kidding, Sherlock! The fact that he's a Hunter dud aside, why did you take him in?"

Dean shook his head and shrugged. "I didn't at first. Dumped him at the nearest hospital, like you're supposed to. Hell, even if the hospital _hadn't_ been attacked, I probably still would have gone back for him."

Caleb laughed. "You're not really making any sense, dude."

Dean waved him off. "At this point, I've stopped trying to make sense of my motives and just focused on the current problems at hand."

The bathroom door opened, turning the Hunter's attention to the boy that walked out. Dean internally cringed at Sam's swollen, red-rimmed eyes. He could also see a slight trembling in his limbs; Sam had obviously been crying. "Hey, Sam. How you feeling?"

Sam shrugged. "I wanna train."

Dean smiled at the sudden determination in Sam's eyes. It was mostly in relief that Sam still had his spirit. "Alright. But first we need to eat."

Sam's eyes flickered to the table where the bags of food lay. He stiffly nodded his head and sat down at the table, reaching for one of the bags.

Eating was uneventful, as was the training session afterward. It was really no different than any of their other sessions, except now Caleb was there to make smart remarks. Caleb was actually impressed with Sam's level of skill. Even though he had Hunter genes, Sam was basically a Common. Considering it's also only been about half a year since Sam starting, Caleb didn't expect the boy to be this far.

The next couple of weeks was much of the same. They traveled from state to state to avoid the Association's radar. Beyond that, neither Dean nor Caleb, thankfully, received orders.

Finally, after three weeks of this routine, they finally got the call.

Dean was trying to build of Sam's upper body strength through push-ups and pull-ups when Caleb's cell rang. Caleb flipped it open, waiting for the other end to answer. He suddenly sat up and said, "Bobby?"

Dean turned at the mention of the name. "Caleb?"

Caleb held a finger up, indicating for Dean to shut up. He listened intently to the other end. Dean could faintly make out Bobby's voice, but couldn't differentiate any of the words. Behind him, he heard Sam drop down from the pull-up bar and step up next to Dean. Sam watched Caleb listen to Bobby with a blank expression.

"Okay." Caleb flipped his cell shut and stood. "We need to head to Bobby's?

"Did he find anything?" Dean asked a little too excitedly.

"I'm assuming so, since he wants us there as soon as possible."

Sam swallowed. Bobby found something. Something about who he was, what he is, or, maybe, what they were going to do with him. Dread filled him when he couldn't think of any positive outcomes. Either Dean was going to have to dump him, or the Association would find him first and kill him.

He jumped slightly when Dean placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Dean, giving him a halfhearted smile. Dean returned the smile and squeezed his shoulder.

The message was clear. They had each other's back. No matter what Bobby found.

"Alright," Dean said, "Let's go."

* * *

**Hope you guys enjoyed! Review and let me know :D**


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